Database/Perfuming/Diacetyl
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Diacetyl natural?

It depends. Fermentation route traces to lactic-culture sugar metabolism (natural); synthetic route traces to petrochemical butanone oxidation.

INCI nameDiacetyl
CAS431-03-8
FormulaC4H6O2 · 86.09 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockDiacetyl for flavour/fragrance use is most often made…

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
bacterial fermentationlactose/citrate fermented by Lactococcus/Leuconostoc cultures1.00minority, premium natural-grade
synthetic oxidationpetrochemical 2-butanone/biacetyl0.00majority, commodity grade
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Butane-2,3-dione: 1.0 via bacterial fermentation of dairy/plant sugars; 0.0 via synthetic oxidation of petrochemical 2-butanone/biacetyl routes.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Diacetyl for flavour/fragrance use is most often made synthetically by oxidising petrochemical 2-butanone (or related biacetyl synthesis). A fermentation route from dairy or plant sugars also exists commercially as a premium natural-labelled alternative.

In plain English

A buttery-smelling flavour and fragrance compound. It can be produced by bacterial fermentation, as occurs naturally in butter, or manufactured synthetically; both routes are used commercially.

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Structure

2D structure of Diacetyl

butane-2,3-dione

PubChem CID 650 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Diacetyl. PubChem CID 650. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3DIACETYL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4DIACETYL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DIACETYL