Maltol (CAS 118-71-8) — Sweet Middle to Base Note Fragrance Ingredient
Maltol
CAS 118-71-8
What Is Maltol?
Maltol is a synthetic compound used to create sweet, caramel-like aromas in foods and fragrances. You’ll encounter it in baked goods, confections, and some perfumes. This ingredient matters because it enhances sweetness perception without adding sugar, making it valuable for both flavor and fragrance industries.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Maltol Smell Like?
Maltol delivers an intense, warm caramel sweetness with baked bread undertones. Its scent evolves from an initial sugary burst to a lingering, creamy vanilla-like drydown. Imagine toasted marshmallows meeting fresh-baked cookies – this is maltol’s olfactory signature. The aroma persists remarkably well for a synthetic molecule, behaving like a base note despite its moderate molecular weight.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CC1=C(O)C(=O)C=CO1
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Maltol (3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone) is a pyranone derivative synthesized from kojic acid or through various condensation reactions. This white crystalline powder exhibits remarkable stability and solubility in both water and alcohol. Its structure allows for strong hydrogen bonding, contributing to its persistence in fragrance formulations. While naturally occurring in some foods (like roasted malt), commercial production is entirely synthetic for consistency.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Melting Point | 160-164 °C |
|---|---|
| Solubility | 1g/82ml water, freely soluble in alcohol |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Flavors | 10-100 ppm | Up to 500 ppm | Sweetener enhancer |
| Fragrances | 0.5-2% | Up to 5% | Sweet accent note |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use maltol to add warmth and sweetness to oriental and gourmand compositions.
Alternatives & Comparisons
More potent version with similar profile, used when stronger sweetening effect is needed.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
No IFRA restrictions. Generally recognized as safe for fragrance use.
RIFM Assessment
RIFM has evaluated maltol as safe for current fragrance use levels.
Sustainability
As a synthetic material, maltol production avoids agricultural impacts but requires petrochemical feedstocks. Its high potency means small quantities are needed, reducing overall environmental footprint compared to some natural alternatives. Manufacturing processes have become increasingly efficient with reduced waste generation.
Explore Maltol
Browse essential oils and aroma compounds.
Browse on iHerb →Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
References
- PubChem Compound Summary for Maltol CID 8369
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorLayer 3 · Practical
- Odor Profile: berry, caramellic, fruity, strawberry, sweet
- FEMA GRAS: 2656
- Molecular Weight: 126.11 g/mol
- LogP (XLogP): 0.40
Ingredient Data Sheet
CAS 118-71-8Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 126.11 g/mol🔬 PubChem |
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 0.4🔬 PubChem |
| Boiling Point | 92.8 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0005 mmHg @ 25°C📊 OPERA |
| Flash Point | 127.3 °C🔬 EPA CompTox |
| log Kp (skin permeability) | -3.185💻 Calculated |
| SMILES | CC1=C(C(=O)C=CO1)O🔬 PubChem |
Volatility & Performance
| Fragrance Note | Heart💻 Calculated |
| Volatility Class | Very slow💻 Calculated |
| Persistence Score | 3.6 / 5💻 Calculated |
Odor & Flavor
| Primary Descriptors | berrycaramelfruitystrawberrysweet• leffingwell |
| Functional Groups | phenolaromatic💻 RDKit |
| “Warm-fruitly, caramellic-sweet odor with emphasis on the caramellic note in the dry state, while solutions of Maltol show a pronounced fruity, jam-like odor of Pine-apple, Strawberry type. Glycol-solutions show more Strawberry-like character, and Phenylethylalcohol-solutions of Maltol are more balsamic, Pine-like, with fruity undertones. The tenacity is excellent in spite of the unusually high vapor pressure at room temperature.”📖 Arctander | |
| Maltol has a warm, sweet, fruity odor and in solution it has a jam-like odor. This compound is also reported to have a characteristic caramel–butterscotch odor and suggestive of fruity-strawberry aroma in dilute solution.📖 Fenaroli | |
Flavor Notes (Arctander)
| “Intensely sweet, fruity, jam-like, Pineapple-Strawberry type flavor with caramellic undertone. The caramellic effect is predominant at high (20 to 100 ppm) concentrations, while the fruity effect is most attractive at much lower concentrations. The flavor is furthermore strongly dependent upon the p”📖 Arctander |
Sensory Thresholds
| Odor Detection Threshold | 7.472 ppm (n=18)📖 van Gemert |
Regulatory Status
| FEMA Number | FEMA 2656⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
| GRAS Status | Generally Recognized as Safe⚖️ FEMA GRAS |
| IOFI Classification | Nature Identical📖 Fenaroli |
Physical data: PubChem (NIH/NLM), U.S. EPA CompTox Dashboard, EPA OPERA models, RDKit. Odor & flavor: Arctander (Perfume & Flavor Chemicals), Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, Leffingwell. Thresholds: van Gemert (Compilations of Odour Threshold Values). Regulatory: IFRA Standards 51st, FEMA GRAS. Trade names: Surburg (Common Fragrance & Flavor Materials). All data compiled and cross-referenced for perfumertools.com.
Physicochemical Properties
DTXSID: DTXSID0025523
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 126.111 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 1.44 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 200.4 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | 157.593 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 127.41 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.561 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 93.546 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 0.336 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 0.055 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 0.034 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 4.53 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0.08 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0 atm-m3/mole📊 OPERA |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.001 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Surface Tension | 51.792 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 50.44 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 1 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 3 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 1 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 30.292 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 12.009 Å^3📊 OPERA |
Data Sources:
🔬 EPA Experimental data from U.S. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard & CTX APIs. 📊 OPERA Predicted using EPA's OPERA QSAR models. 💻 Computed Calculated from SMILES using RDKit.
Related Research
- Isoamyl phenylacetate (CAS 102-19-2) — Sweet Top-Middle Note Fragrance Ingredient
- Mica (CAS 12001-26-2) — Citrus Base Note Fragrance Ingredient
- o,m,p-Tolualdehydes and their mixtures (CAS 529-20-4) — Mid Note Fragrance Ingredient
- 7-Cyclohexadecen-1-one, (7Z) (CAS 854373-71-0) — Musky Base Note Fragrance Ingredient
