Ethyl maltol

Ethyl maltol, 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone, 2-ethyl pyromeconic acid, or C8H10O3 is an analog of maltol, where the methyl group on maltol is substituted with an ethyl group. It is a stable white crystalline powder at room temperature and easily dissolves in many polar liquids. Ethyl maltol has a melting point of between 89 and 93 degrees Celsius, and a boiling point of 161 degrees Celsius.

This chemical has a sweet odor that can be described as caramalized sugar and cooked fruit. It is an important flavourant for the food, beverage, and fragrance industry. Ethyl maltol is non-toxic, highly pleasant to human sense of smell, and easily detected by the human, with as little as 10,000 part per billion perceivable in air.