(+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL

CAS: 25334-93-4 FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT

This ingredient is a synthetic flavoring agent with CAS number 25334-93-4, used to impart or modify sensory properties in food, and has been catalogued in the FDA substances added to food inventory and referenced in international flavoring databases.

What It Is

This section explains what (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL is and its classification. (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL, identified by CAS number 25334-93-4, is a synthetic organic chemical defined by its acetal functional group and used principally as a flavoring agent or adjuvant. It is a small molecule with the molecular formula C7H16O2, characterized by a branched ether linkage that is typical of acetal compounds. The acetal group connects an ethyl and an isopropyl moiety to an acetaldehyde backbone, conferring specific physical and chemical attributes relevant for its use in flavor applications. Other names and synonyms for this compound include 2-(1-ethoxy)ethoxypropane, propane, 2-(1-ethoxyethoxy)-, and various systematic ether-based designations, reflecting its structural variations and naming in different chemical databases. These synonyms are important for cross-referencing the compound in regulatory databases and scientific literature. Acetals as a class are organic compounds formed by the reaction of an aldehyde with an alcohol under controlled conditions. In this case, the acetaldehyde component reacts with ethanol and isopropanol derivatives to form the ethyl isopropyl acetal structure. This chemical configuration results in a relatively stable compound under typical food processing conditions, with a low to moderate volatility and an ability to contribute distinctive sensory notes when used in flavor formulations. Compound identification and recognition by international chemical registries, such as the PubChem database (CID 91409), affirm its structural integrity and provide a pathway for scientific and regulatory reference. In regulatory inventories, it appears under descriptors aligned with flavoring use, and its technical function remains focused on sensory enhancement rather than nutritional contribution or preservation. The classification as a flavoring agent or adjuvant frames its use case in food formulations, where precise sensory impact is the primary objective.

How It Is Made

The manufacturing and production of (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL involves well-understood organic chemistry processes. At a high level, this compound is synthesized through a chemical transformation that begins with acetaldehyde, a simple aldehyde, and involves the controlled addition of alcohol derivatives. The reaction mechanism typical for acetal formation is nucleophilic addition-elimination, where the aldehyde carbonyl group interacts with the oxygen of an alcohol under acid catalysis to form a hemiacetal intermediate, which subsequently reacts with a second equivalent of alcohol to yield the final acetal structure. In industrial settings, this may involve the use of ethanol and isopropanol or their derivatives in controlled stoichiometric ratios and in the presence of an acid catalyst. Temperature, pressure, and purification protocols are adjusted to promote high yield of the target acetal while minimizing side products. The crude reaction mixture undergoes purification steps, which typically include fractional distillation to separate the product based on boiling points and volatility differences. Additional refining may involve solvent extraction or column chromatography tailored to remove unreacted starting materials and byproducts. The end product is a clear, colorless liquid with defined purity specifications suitable for flavor use. The manufacturing process emphasizes consistency, control of reaction conditions, and quality testing to ensure that the material meets established chemical identity criteria such as those recorded in public chemical registries. Because this compound is used as a flavoring agent in food applications, production facilities must adhere to good manufacturing practices and food safety standards relevant to chemical ingredients intended for human consumption. This includes documentation of raw material sourcing, batch testing, and analytical verification of structure and purity. Although exact proprietary manufacturing processes vary by producer, the underlying chemistry reflects standard approaches for acetal synthesis, widely practiced in flavor and fragrance chemistry.

Why It Is Used In Food

This section covers the rationale for using (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL in food products. Flavoring agents such as (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL are incorporated into food formulations to modify or enhance sensory attributes, including aroma and taste. Acetals often contribute characteristic fruity, sweet, or ethereal notes that can complement or balance other flavor components in complex food matrices. In the case of this specific acetal, its structural characteristics are associated with sensory profiles that may augment the overall impression of flavor in prepared foods, beverages, and confectionery products. Manufacturers add flavoring agents for several reasons. One common motivation is to achieve a desired sensory profile that makes products more appealing to consumers. For example, subtle fruit-like or sweet aromatic notes can make beverages more enjoyable or round out the flavor of baked goods. Flavoring agents also serve functional roles in masking undesirable tastes that may arise from processing, fortification, or other ingredient interactions. By blending with other flavor materials, this compound can help smooth out harsh notes and contribute to a balanced overall profile. Unlike nutritive ingredients such as sugars or fats, flavoring agents do not significantly alter the nutritional content of a product. Rather, they influence consumer perception and satisfaction. The use of such agents is guided by sensory science and formulation expertise, with the goal of creating consistent and desirable flavor experiences across batches. The regulatory categorization of this compound as a flavoring agent or adjuvant underscores its role in sensory modulation rather than preservation or nutritional modification.

Adi Example Calculation

To illustrate how an ADI-based calculation might work, consider a hypothetical scenario where a flavoring compound has an established ADI of X mg per kilogram of body weight per day. An illustrative calculation for an individual weighing 70 kilograms would multiply the ADI by body weight to determine a daily exposure threshold. For example, if the ADI were 1 mg/kg of body weight, the daily allowable exposure for a 70 kg person would be 70 mg per day. This calculation is meant solely to demonstrate the mechanics of applying an ADI and does not imply that such an ADI exists for (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL, as no numeric ADI is documented in the public regulatory sources consulted. Such example calculations help contextualize what an ADI means in practical terms. The purpose is to relate a per-kilogram safety benchmark to a real-world body weight so that formulators and risk assessors can gauge whether typical use levels in food are orders of magnitude below thresholds associated with health risk. In food additive safety evaluations, actual exposure estimates are derived from usage data and consumption patterns, and these estimates are compared against ADI benchmarks when available. In the absence of a specific ADI for this compound, the example underscores typical risk assessment approaches without assigning a definitive numeric value.

Safety And Health Research

Understanding safety and health research for flavoring agents involves consideration of both hazard and exposure. Regulatory agencies such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and bodies like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluate chemical substances used as flavoring agents for potential toxicological concerns. These evaluations typically consider data from studies on acute toxicity, genotoxicity, subchronic and chronic exposure, reproduction and developmental endpoints, metabolic pathways, and potential for bioaccumulation. Such assessments focus on the relationship between dose and response, with an emphasis on establishing whether use levels typical in food result in exposures that are well below thresholds associated with adverse effects. For many flavoring agents, scientific review will draw on a combination of experimental data and structure-activity considerations, especially when direct toxicological data specific to a compound are limited. Acetal compounds often undergo metabolic processes that convert them back to constituent alcohols and aldehydes, and pathways of metabolism in humans and animals inform risk assessments. In the absence of a rich body of peer-reviewed research published in open literature, regulators rely heavily on dossiers submitted by industry and comprehensive evaluations performed by expert committees. Overall, safety evaluations for flavoring agents are designed to ensure that human exposure at levels commonly encountered in food does not present appreciable risk. These evaluations consider uncertainties and apply safety factors to account for data gaps. In the case of (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL, specific toxicological studies accessible in the public domain are limited, and conclusions about hazard profiles must therefore emphasize the regulatory evaluation context rather than direct experimental results published in open literature. As a result, narrative discussion of safety research focuses on the frameworks used by regulatory bodies to assess flavoring agents, acknowledging the limited direct data available for this specific compound.

Regulatory Status Worldwide

The regulatory context for flavoring agents varies by jurisdiction, with specific inventories and evaluation processes guiding permitted use. In the United States, (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL appears in the FDA’s "Substances Added to Food" inventory, commonly referred to as EAFUS, where it is listed with associated information including CAS number and technical function as a flavoring agent or adjuvant. This listing provides a reference point for manufacturers and regulators but does not by itself constitute an explicit allowance regulation under a specific Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) section. The FDA inventory serves as a compilation of substances that may be used in food in accordance with good manufacturing practices, subject to applicable safety standards and labeling requirements; however, whether a specific CFR provision authorizes this compound requires deeper regulatory review, which is not conclusively documented here, so the regulatory status in U.S. law remains null in terms of a positive approval statement with a note explaining uncertainty in specific regulation allowance. Internationally, flavoring agents undergo evaluation by scientific bodies such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which maintains databases of evaluated substances and may provide specifications and safety context. While the searchable WHO JECFA food additives database allows lookup by CAS number, the specific outcome of a formal evaluation for this compound is not detailed in the public listing here, leaving numeric acceptable daily intake values or formal inclusion absent, and notes explaining that explicit numeric ADI values are not found in the d database. In the European Union, flavoring substances are subject to evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The searchable EFSA flavoring database provides mechanisms for inquiry, including by FL number and CAS number, but a specific opinion document directly linking to this compound’s safety evaluation is not provided here. This leaves the compound’s status with respect to EU flavoring regulations as uncertain, with a notice that EFSA has processes in place for evaluating flavoring groups and that FGE.03 Rev2 includes related acetals of branched and straight-chain aliphatic compounds.

Taste And Functional Properties

In this section, we describe sensory characteristics and functional behavior of this ingredient. Flavoring agents are selected not only for their sensory contributions but also for their stability and compatibility with food ingredients and processing conditions. (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL is a volatile organic compound with sensory attributes described in technical flavoring literature as contributing ethereal, fruity, or sweet aromatic nuances when used at appropriate levels. The structural features of acetals often result in volatile profiles that are perceptible at low concentrations, making them suitable for use in products where subtle flavor enhancement is desired. Functional properties relevant to formulation include solubility and stability. Acetals are generally more stable than their corresponding aldehyde precursors under neutral pH conditions, but they can hydrolyze under strongly acidic environments. In practice, the stability of this compound in a given food depends on pH, temperature, and presence of catalysts that might promote hydrolysis. Sensory scientists account for these factors when determining appropriate inclusion levels and processing strategies. Solubility behavior also influences how the compound interacts with other ingredients. While acetals may have limited solubility in water alone, they often disperse effectively in complex food matrices, particularly in emulsions or alcohol-containing systems. Their lipophilic character can aid integration into fat-containing foods, contributing to uniform sensory impact across heterogeneous products. From a functional standpoint, the selection of any flavoring agent considers not only the immediate taste or aroma but also how it behaves over the product shelf life. Stability against oxidation, retention of aromatic notes, and minimal generation of off-flavors during storage are desirable features that flavor chemists evaluate during formulation development.

Acceptable Daily Intake Explained

The acceptable daily intake (ADI) is a concept used by regulatory bodies to express the amount of a substance that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk. It is derived from toxicological studies, usually in animal models, and includes conservative safety factors to account for uncertainties in data and differences between species. ADIs are typically expressed in milligrams of substance per kilogram of body weight per day. For flavoring agents, ADIs provide a benchmark for evaluating whether exposure from typical food use levels is unlikely to pose safety concerns. If a compound has been assigned an ADI by a body such as JECFA or EFSA, it reflects a synthesis of all relevant toxicology data and expert judgment. In the case of (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL, no specific numeric ADI value is documented in the accessible JECFA or EFSA listings, and thus this section emphasizes the general meaning of ADI rather than providing a specific number. Regulators may evaluate groups of related compounds together, applying class-based approaches when direct data for individual compounds are limited, but without a direct numeric ADI assigned in the public sources, the narrative here explains the ADI concept and the general conservative approach taken by expert committees. ADI values are not meant to be recommended intake levels; they are safety benchmarks used by regulators to guide permissible usage and exposure assessment. They account for variability in human populations and prioritize protection of sensitive subgroups. Without an explicit numeric ADI for this compound, manufacturers and regulators rely on broader group evaluations and good manufacturing practices to ensure that use levels remain low and consistent with safety expectations.

Comparison With Similar Additives

Flavoring agents are a diverse class of compounds used to impart sensory attributes. Many are small organic molecules with distinctive odor and taste contributions. For example, compounds such as ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, and 1,1-diethoxyethane (a related acetal) are used in various food and beverage applications for their fruity or sweet aromatic qualities. While ethyl acetate is a simple ester contributing fruit-like notes and often encountered in beverages and confectionery, acetals such as 1,1-diethoxyethane serve as classic examples of compounds with pronounced flavor characteristics used in distilled beverages. Compared to these, (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL has a unique combination of ethyl and isopropyl moieties attached to an acetal backbone, leading to its own sensory profile. Its functional role in formulation is similar in that it contributes nuanced notes and blends with other components to achieve desired flavor effects. The choice among such additives depends on the target sensory profile and compatibility with the product matrix. Flavor chemists evaluate attributes such as volatility, solubility, and odor threshold when selecting appropriate agents. While esters like ethyl acetate are relatively small and volatile with characteristic sweet-fruity notes, acetals often present more complex aromatic profiles and stability considerations. Selection is guided by both sensory goals and regulatory status, with each compound subject to evaluation by relevant bodies. The comparison highlights that although many flavoring agents serve similar functional roles, structural differences influence sensory outcomes and formulation strategies.

Common Food Applications Narrative

Flavoring agents like (+/-)-ACETALDEHYDE ETHYL ISOPROPYL ACETAL are applied in a wide range of food categories where sensory enhancement is a priority. Food product developers often leverage such compounds to introduce or emphasize particular aroma or taste notes that contribute to an appealing flavor profile. Common applications span beverages, confectionery, baked goods, and dairy-based desserts, among others. In beverage formulations, subtle ethereal or fruity aromatic compounds help create depth and complexity in both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. For example, ready-to-drink beverages and flavored waters may incorporate carefully tuned blends of volatile flavoring agents to achieve balanced sensory experiences that are consistent with consumer expectations for fruit-forward or sweet profiles. Similarly, carbonated soft drinks and mixers may include such compounds in trace amounts to support signature flavor notes without overpowering the primary ingredients. Confectionery products, such as candies and chewable sweets, utilize flavoring agents to maintain consistent taste impressions that complement sugar and other base ingredients. In baked goods like cookies and pastries, flavor compounds can reinforce themes such as fruit, vanilla, or other nuanced aromatic cues that elevate the eating experience. Ice creams and frozen desserts similarly benefit from flavoring agents designed to enhance creaminess, sweetness, or complementary notes in complex formulations. Dairy products and dessert sauces also employ flavoring agents to balance inherent dairy flavors with desirable adjunct notes. For instance, fruit-flavored yogurts and dessert toppings might incorporate such compounds as part of a broader flavor blend that is tailored to achieve a harmonious sensory outcome. Across categories, the underlying intent is to support product consistency, appeal, and differentiation within a competitive market.

Safety & Regulations

FDA

  • Notes: The FDA substances added to food inventory lists this compound, but no specific CFR section explicitly authorizing its use was found.

EFSA

  • Notes: EFSA evaluation processes exist for flavoring agents, but no explicit numeric ADI for this compound was found in the searchable database.

JECFA

  • Notes: The JECFA databases list flavoring specifications, but no specific numeric ADI or evaluation year was identified for this compound.

Sources

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