Ethyl Maltol
Ethyl Maltol is a synthetic flavour compound that contributes a sweet, fruity, cotton-candy aroma with strong strawberry and caramelized-sugar facets to food, beverage, and fragrance formulations.
The molecule is 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one, formula C₇H₈O₃ (molar mass 140.14 g/mol), and presents as fine white to off-white crystals or crystalline powder with a sweet warm odour at room temperature. It is roughly four to six times more potent than its close relative maltol on an equal-weight basis.
We source bulk Ethyl Maltol from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are mostly in Guangdong, Shanghai and Anhui. For this ingredient the minimum order is 500 kg and a 20-foot container takes 15.5 MT, and a smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
or call +86-21-6858 0751
- Minimum order
- 500 kg
- Qty in 20' FCL
- 15.5 MT
- Packaging
- 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
- Function
- Flavours and Aromas
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
Grades / Types Available: Food Grade
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White fine crystalline powder |
| Odor | Sweet, caramelized, cotton candy |
| Purity | ≥99.0% |
| Melting Point | 89–92°C |
| Loss on Drying | ≤0.5% |
| Residue on Ignition | ≤0.1% |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤10 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤3 mg/kg |
| Mesh Size | 30–80 mesh |
| Shelf Life | 24 months |
| Color Range | White |
Common Markets Grades
Ethyl Maltol comes in a small number of well-defined grades.
The standard food grade is at minimum 99.0 percent assay as fine white crystals, meeting FCC specifications for melting point, residue on ignition, and heavy metals. A premium grade at 99.5 percent or higher with tighter colour and acidity limits is sold to flavour houses producing high-impact strawberry, candy, and fruit compound flavours.
A larger-crystal granular form is produced for applications where reduced dust generation and improved dosing accuracy are important. Spray-dried encapsulated grades on maltodextrin or starch carriers are used in dry beverage mixes and seasoning blends where flow properties and heat stability matter.
The dominant global supply comes from Chinese producers, with smaller volumes from European and Japanese fine chemical manufacturers.
Applications
- Fruit-flavoured beverages, especially strawberry, raspberry, and tropical fruit drinks
- Candy and confectionery: hard candy, lollipops, cotton candy, marshmallow, and chewy fruit candy
- Bakery: fruit-filled pastries, cake batters, and sweet glazes
- Ice cream and frozen desserts in fruit and dessert profiles
- Flavour compounding as a top-note enhancer in fruit, brown, and creamy systems
- Chocolate and cocoa products to amplify sweetness perception at constant sugar level
- Dairy beverages, flavoured milks, and yogurt drinks
- Chewing gum, breath strips, and oral care products
- Tobacco flavouring for sweet topnotes in cigarette and cigar blends
- Fine fragrance and personal care for gourmand accords
- Vaping liquids and electronic cigarette flavour systems where permitted
China Manufacturers of Ethyl Maltol
Top Ethyl Maltol manufacturers in China.
Aipu Food Industry Co., Ltd.5 ingredients in the directory
Anhui Jinhe Industrial Co., Ltd.5 ingredients in the directory
Hebei Tianlihai Flavors&fragrances Co., Ltd.2 ingredients in the directory
Shandong Huachen Dechuang Chemical Technology Co., Ltd.2 ingredients in the directory- Shenzhen Tangzheng Bio-tech Co., Ltd.1 ingredient in the directory
Wanxiang Technology Group Co., Ltd.7 ingredients in the directory
Zhaoqing Perfumery Co., Ltd.4 ingredients in the directory
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
How We Help Source Ethyl Maltol
Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Ethyl Maltol out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Ethyl Maltol together with other ingredients such as Capsicum Oleoresin, White Pepper and Beef Flavour into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
Ethyl Maltol is approved for use as a synthetic flavouring substance in the major regulated markets.
In the European Union it is listed in the Union flavouring list under FL number 07.014 and is permitted in food at quantum satis subject to good manufacturing practice. It is classified as an artificial flavour for labelling purposes because it does not occur in nature.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognises ethyl maltol as Generally Recognized as Safe under 21 CFR 172.515. FEMA assigns it GRAS number 3487.
JECFA has evaluated ethyl maltol and concluded that current intake presents no safety concern at typical food use levels.
Pharmacopoeial monographs exist for use in pharmaceutical flavouring. Kosher and Halal certification is routinely available. The substance is not classified as hazardous under standard transport regulations.
Manufacturing Process
Industrial ethyl maltol is produced by total chemical synthesis from furfuryl alcohol, the same starting material used for maltol production.
The dominant commercial route begins with the alkylation of furfuryl alcohol with an ethyl source under acidic conditions to yield 2-ethyl furfuryl alcohol. Catalytic oxidation in the presence of dilute hydrogen peroxide and a halogen catalyst converts the furan ring to the desired pyranone skeleton, generating ethyl maltol in a single rearrangement step. The crude product is purified by recrystallisation from water or aqueous ethanol.
An alternative route proceeds from 2-ethyl furfural via similar oxidative ring transformation chemistry. Both routes have been operated at commercial scale, with the alcohol-based path now dominant due to lower raw material cost.
Yields, colour, and trace impurity profiles vary substantially between producers and are a major basis for grade selection by flavour and fragrance buyers. Unlike maltol, ethyl maltol has no known natural occurrence and is produced exclusively as a synthetic ingredient.
