Tributyrin

CAS 60-01-5

Tributyrin is a flavouring that releases butyric acid, the compound behind the taste of butter and, in quantity, of vomit — which is why the dose matters so much.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Tributyrin by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationPermitted21 CFR 184.1903retrieved 2026-09-07
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFANot listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.

What it is made from

Made by reacting glycerol with butyric acid. It occurs naturally in butter.

  • Vegan status depends on the source
  • Vegetarian status depends on the source
  • May raise a halal question
  • May raise a kosher question

This is not an omission. What this additive is made from is not fixed — depending on the manufacturer it may be plant, animal or microbial in origin, nobody is required to say which, and the same product can change source between production runs. Ask the manufacturer if it matters to you; a label cannot answer it.

CAS registry number
60-01-5
InChIKey
UYXTWWCETRIEDR-UHFFFAOYSA-N
PubChem
CID 6050

Every name it appears under

49 recorded names. A label may use any of them.

CAS registry number

  • 60-01-5

As it appears in regulation

  • Tributyrin

Other names

  • 1,2,3-Propanetriol, tributyrate
  • 1,2,3-Propanetriyl tributanoate
  • 1,2,3-tributanoylglycerol
  • 1,2,3-Tributyrylglycerol
  • 1,3-bis(butanoyloxy)propan-2-yl butanoate
  • 1,3-Tributyrylglycerol
  • 2,3-Bis(butyryloxy)propyl butyrate
  • 2,3-Bis(butyryloxy)propyl butyrate #
  • 2,3-di(butanoyloxy)propyl butanoate
  • 4-02-00-00799 (Beilstein Handbook Reference)
  • BRN 1714746
  • Butanoic acid, 1,2,3-propanetriyl ester
  • Butyric acid triester with glycerin
  • Butyrin
  • Butyrin, tri-
  • Butyryl triglyceride
  • CAS-60-01-5
  • FEMA 2223
  • FEMA No. 2223
  • Glycerin tributyrate
  • Glycerol tributanoate
  • Glycerol tributyrate
  • Glyceroltributyrin
  • Glycery tributyrate
  • GLYCERYL TRI-BUTYRATE
  • Glyceryl tributyrate
  • Glyceryl tributyrate, >=99%
  • Glyceryl tributyrate, analytical standard
  • Glyceryl tributyrate, puriss., >=98.5% (GC)
  • Glyceryl tributyrate, technical, >=94.0% (GC)
  • HSDB 878
  • Kodaflex
  • Kodaflex tripropionin
  • propane-1,2,3-triyl tributanoate
  • Propane-1,2,3-triyl tributyrate
  • tri-butyrin
  • Tri-n-butyrin
  • Tributin
  • TRIBUTYRIN
  • Tributyrin, 97%, FG
  • Tributyrinine
  • Tributyrl glyceride
  • Tributyroin
  • Tributyryl glyceride
  • tributyrylglycerol

Systematic names

  • 2,3-Di(butanoyloxy)propyl butanoate
  • InChI=1/C15H26O6/c1-4-7-13(16)19-10-12(21-15(18)9-6-3)11-20-14(17)8-5-2/h12H,4-11H2,1-3H

Hazard reference values

No reference value for this substance in the sources we hold.

Evidence and how bodies read it

Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated by hand rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.

Sources for this page

  • ecfr retrieved 2026-09-07

Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.

Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/tributyrin.json