February 2007: Ethyl Butyrate
Ethyl butyrate is a colorless liquid with a fruity fragrance. It is responsible for the aroma of ripe pineapple. Synthetic ethyl butyrate is used to flavor
Juicy Fruit gum and imitation fruit candies.
Ethyl butyrate is an
ester. An ester is formed by the reaction between an alcohol and an acid with the elimination of water. All esters contain the
acyl functional group.
Ethyl butyrate occurs naturally in apples, bananas, butter, kiwi, mangoes, and strawberries. It is widely used as an ingredient in perfumery and as a flavoring for many food products. It is a fragrance note in apple, apricot, berry, bubblegum, and butterscotch.
The human olfactory system accounts for most of our sense of taste. The “pineapple” sensation produced by ethyl butyrate is smelled, not tasted.
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