Aroma molecule · sulfide
3-methylthiophene
Smells ofplastic
Found in 6 ingredients. We hold no measured concentration for it in any of them yet, so we cannot say where it is strong enough to smell.
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- Formula
- C5H6S
- Mass
- 98.17 g/mol
- CAS
- 616-44-4
- PubChem
- 12024
- FEMA
- not listed
- Threshold
- 5,000 ppb
- Class
- sulfide
- Status
- Aroma-active
01How little it takes
- in waterpapers disagree 5,000
ppb, log scale · tick = median of published values, bar = full range, from open-access paper tables (not reviewed)
02Where it turns up
- Drinks3
- Fruit1
- Dairy1
- Meat & fish1
of the 6 ingredients that contain it, by food group
03What it travels with
line weight = ingredients carrying both, of 6 · only molecules found with it at least 1.5× as often as across all foods
What does 3-methylthiophene smell like?
Sources describe it as plastic.
Which foods contain 3-methylthiophene?
We list 6 ingredients that contain it, but presence is not the same as smell. What matters is how much is there compared with how little it takes to notice it. That ratio is the odour activity value (OAV): above 1, you can smell it.
Found in
Measured foods first, then real food profiles, then thin or composite records (marked). The figure beside each is how many compounds that ingredient has in total, not the amount of 3-methylthiophene in it. ✓n = sources that recorded the link.
How strong is 3-methylthiophene?
Our working odour threshold is 5000.0 ppb, from 1 source (none by SIDA, so treat it as approximate).
Thresholds in published tables
| Medium | Median | Range | Values | Papers | Papers agree? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| air | 360 µg/L air | 360–360 | 1 | 1 | one paper |
| water | 5000 ppb | 5e+03–5e+03 | 1 | 1 | one paper |
Numbers printed in open-access papers, grouped by the medium the table states. Median and full range; “agree” means two or more papers whose middle 80% of values sit within 100×. Not reviewed.
- Volatility
- high
- Retention index
- 1144
What is it found with?
Of the 6 ingredients that carry 3-methylthiophene, 6 also carry 1,2-benzenediol, 6 1-octen-3-ol and 6 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine. These are the most frequent companions among molecules that turn up with 3-methylthiophene at least 1.5 times as often as they do across all foods; the very common molecules found nearly everywhere are left out because they say nothing about it.
Is 3-methylthiophene safe to eat?
Not in FEMA GRAS publications 1–33. Of 3,367 listed flavoring substances, none match this compound or its other names. It may still be food-safe under other regulatory routes (FDA 21 CFR 172, EFSA, JECFA); check femaflavor.org for the authoritative current list.
3-methylthiophene questions
What does 3-methylthiophene smell like?
Sources describe 3-methylthiophene as plastic.
Which foods contain 3-methylthiophene?
We list 6 ingredients that contain 3-methylthiophene.
How strong is 3-methylthiophene?
Our working odour threshold for 3-methylthiophene is 5,000 ppb.
What molecules are found with 3-methylthiophene?
The molecules most often found in the same ingredients are 1,2-benzenediol, 1-octen-3-ol, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine and 2,3-butanedione.
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Try the pairing tools to see which ingredient combinations rely on 3-methylthiophene, or compare two ingredients side by side.
Cite this analysis
Compound Kitchen (2026). 3-methylthiophene compound data sheet. https://compkitchen.com/compound/3-methylthiophene. Accessed 2026-11-03.
@misc{compkitchen_compound_3_methylthiophene_compound_data_sheet_2026,
title = {3-methylthiophene compound data sheet},
author = {{Compound Kitchen}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://compkitchen.com/compound/3-methylthiophene},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-03}
}
Methodology DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19719459 · CC BY 4.0 · Citations are a request, not a requirement.