{
  "$schema": "https://foodadditiveindex.com/api/v1/schema.json",
  "id": "https://foodadditiveindex.com/additives/ethyl-maltol",
  "slug": "ethyl-maltol",
  "name": "Ethyl maltol",
  "identifiers": {
    "e_number": null,
    "ins_number": "637",
    "cas_number": "4940-11-8",
    "inchikey": "YIKYNHJUKRTCJL-UHFFFAOYSA-N",
    "pubchem_cid": 21059
  },
  "functional_class": "Flavour enhancer",
  "summary": "Ethyl maltol is maltol's stronger sibling — several times more potent, with a caramel and candyfloss character. Unlike maltol it does not occur in nature at all.",
  "derivation_summary": "Produced by chemical synthesis. It has no natural source, so it cannot be declared a natural flavour anywhere.",
  "regulatory_status": [
    {
      "jurisdiction": "US",
      "jurisdiction_name": "United States",
      "authority": "Food and Drug Administration",
      "status": "not_listed",
      "status_label": "Not listed",
      "note": "Does not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.",
      "provision_count": 0,
      "provisions": []
    },
    {
      "jurisdiction": "CODEX",
      "jurisdiction_name": "Codex Alimentarius",
      "authority": "Codex Alimentarius Commission / JECFA",
      "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
      "status_label": "Permitted, with conditions",
      "provision_count": 5,
      "provisions": [
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "01.1.4",
            "name": "Flavoured Fluid Milk Drinks"
          },
          "max_level": null,
          "max_level_unit": "GMP",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 634",
          "effective_from": "2024",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 637, food category 01.1.4",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "01.7",
            "name": "Dairy-based desserts (e.g. pudding, fruit or flavoured yoghurt)"
          },
          "max_level": 200,
          "max_level_unit": "mg/kg",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: 616",
          "effective_from": "2024",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 637, food category 01.7",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "03.0",
            "name": "Edible ices, including sherbet and sorbet"
          },
          "max_level": 200,
          "max_level_unit": "mg/kg",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "2016",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 637, food category 03.0",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "05.2",
            "name": "Confectionery including hard and soft candy, nougats, etc. other than food categories 05.1, 05.3, and 05.4"
          },
          "max_level": 1000,
          "max_level_unit": "mg/kg",
          "conditions": "GSFA notes: XS309R",
          "effective_from": "2017",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 637, food category 05.2",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        },
        {
          "status": "permitted_with_conditions",
          "food_category": {
            "system": "codex",
            "code": "05.3",
            "name": "Chewing gum"
          },
          "max_level": 1000,
          "max_level_unit": "mg/kg",
          "conditions": null,
          "effective_from": "2017",
          "citation": {
            "ref": "CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 637, food category 05.3",
            "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/"
          },
          "source": "gsfa",
          "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "names": [
    {
      "name": "4940-11-8",
      "type": "cas",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-Ethyl pyromeconic acid",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one, 99%",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one; Ethyl maltol",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-pyran-4-one",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-ethyl-3-hydroxypyran-4-one",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-Ethylpyromeconic acid",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3-Hydroxy-2-ethyl-.gamma.-pyrone",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3-Hydroxy-2-ethyl-1,4-pyrone",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3-Hydroxy-2-ethyl-4-pyrone",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3-Hydroxy-2-ethyl-4-pyrone11/8/40",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3-Hydroxy-2-ethyl-4H-pyran-4-one",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3-Hydroxy-2-ethyl-gamma-pyrone",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "3-Hydroxy-2-ethyl-laquo gammaRaquo -pyrone",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "4H-PYRAN-4-ONE, 2-ETHYL-3-HYDROXY-",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "5-18-01-00135 (Beilstein Handbook Reference)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "6-ethyl-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "BRN 1618110",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethyl Hydroxypyrone",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "ETHYL MALTOL",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "gsfa"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethyl maltol (Standard)",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethyl maltol Solution in Methanol, 1000ug/mL",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethyl maltol Solution in Methanol, 100ug/mL",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethyl maltol, >=99%, FCC, FG",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethyl maltol, analytical standard",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethyl maltol, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethyl maltol, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethylmaltol",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "FEMA 3487",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "FEMA No. 3487",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "INS NO.637",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "INS-637",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Maltol-ethyl",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "Veltol plus",
      "type": "common",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "E637",
      "type": "e_number",
      "source": "pubchem"
    },
    {
      "name": "637",
      "type": "ins",
      "source": "gsfa"
    },
    {
      "name": "2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one",
      "type": "iupac",
      "source": "openfoodtox"
    }
  ],
  "hazard_reference_values": [],
  "sources": [
    {
      "key": "gsfa",
      "name": "Codex General Standard for Food Additives (CXS 192-1995)",
      "publisher": "Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO)",
      "licence": "FAO terms — non-commercial use with attribution",
      "url": "https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/dbs/gsfa/en/",
      "retrieved_at": "2026-09-07T07:54:15.059Z"
    }
  ],
  "citation_policy": "Cite as: Food Additive Index, \"Ethyl maltol\", https://foodadditiveindex.com/additives/ethyl-maltol. This site reports regulatory status and does not rate additives.",
  "generated_at": "2026-09-08T00:09:38.527Z"
}