Ethyl maltol, 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone, 2-ethyl pyromeconic acid, or C7H8O3 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 °C, and a boiling point of 161 °C.
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 parts per million perceivable in air.
| Product name | Ethyl maltol |
| Molar mass | 140.14 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Melting point | 85-95 °C |
| Boiling point | 161 °C, 434 K, 322 °F |
| R-phrases | R22 |
| S-phrases | S36 |