This section provides an overview of natural furfuryl alcohol, covering its manufacturing processes and regulatory status, applications in flavour, fragrance, resin, foundry, adhesive, and chemical industries. Also, please check out the introduction to furfuryl alcohol manufacturers, supply chain issues, furfuryl alcohol suppliers, and furfuryl alcohol prices. Sinofi can help you buy furfuryl alcohol at bulk wholesale prices based on FEMA 2491 and CAS 98-00-0.
Table of Contents
What is Furfuryl Alcohol?
Furfuryl alcohol, also known as 2-furanmethanol, is a heterocyclic organic compound that occupies a significant position in the flavour and fragrance industry. It is an organic compound derived from the catalytic hydrogenation of furfural, which itself is produced from agricultural byproducts such as corncobs, sugarcane bagasse, and rice husks. It contributes a characteristic caramellic, bready, and slightly burnt aroma profile that proves invaluable in a wide spectrum of flavour applications. As a critical intermediate in the production of furan resins, adhesives, coatings, and foundry binders, furfuryl alcohol has become indispensable across multiple industrial sectors. Furfuryl alcohol consists of a furan ring substituted with a hydroxymethyl group, which gives it a distinctive sensory profile of great interest to flavour chemists and formulation engineers. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), furfuryl alcohol is approved to be used in the flavour and fragrance industries.
Regulatory Status and Safety Considerations
Furfuryl alcohol has been evaluated by major regulatory bodies like JECFA, EFSA, ECHACHEM, NIST, and WHO. It is designated as Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) by the Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) under FEMA number 2491. It is also listed in the Council of Europe’s register of flavouring substances and is approved for use under the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 872/2012, where it appears in the Union List of authorized flavouring substances. The fragrance standard of furfuryl alcohol has been set by organizations such as IFRA.
Odor Threshold and Sensory Profile
From a sensory perspective, furfuryl alcohol is a remarkably versatile ingredient. At low concentrations, it exhibits a warm, caramel-like sweetness with distinct bready and slightly musty undertones. As concentration increases, the profile shifts towards more pronounced burnt, roasted, and coffee-like notes. Its taste is often described as warm, slightly bitter, with a lingering burnt-sugar quality. These characteristics make it an indispensable component in a wide range of flavour profiles, particularly those aiming to replicate or enhance thermal processing notes.
Natural Occurrence
Furfuryl alcohol is generated in food systems primarily through the thermal degradation of pentose sugars (such as xylose and arabinose) and through the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids. The compound has been identified as a significant volatile in a wide range of thermally processed foods and beverages. In coffee, furfuryl alcohol is one of the most abundant volatile compounds, often reaching concentrations of several hundred milligrams per kilogram in roasted beans. It is also a key contributor to the aroma of bread crust, where Maillard browning reactions generate an array of furan derivatives during baking. Additional natural sources include roasted barley and malt (relevant to beer and whisky production), cocoa and chocolate products, cooked meats and poultry, toasted nuts and sesame seeds, and maple syrup. The widespread natural occurrence of furfuryl alcohol in these food systems underpins its regulatory status as a naturally occurring flavouring substance and supports its use in nature-identical and natural flavour formulations.
CAS No.: 98-00-0
According to the American Chemical Society, the CAS number of furfuryl alcohol is 98-00-0.
CAS Name: Furfuryl alcohol
Molecular Formula: C5H6O2
Molecular Mass: 98.10
Appearance: Colorless to light yellow, clear liquid.
JECFA Number: 451
Food Chemicals Codex Listed: No
Boiling Point: 169.00 to 171.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Solubility: Soluble in alcohol. Slightly soluble in water.
Other Names:
♦ 2-Furanmethanol
♦ Furfuryl alcohol
♦ 2-Furancarbinol
♦ Furfuralcohol
♦α-Furylcarbinol
♦ 2-Furylcarbinol
♦ Furylcarbinol
♦ 2-Furfuryl alcohol
♦ 2-(Hydroxymethyl)furan
♦ 5-Hydroxymethylfuran
♦α-Furfuryl alcohol
♦ 2-Furylmethanol
♦ 2-Furanylmethanol
♦ Furfuranol
♦ 2-Furylmethyl alcohol
Furfuryl Alcohol Odor
Odor Strength: Medium.
Substantivity: 44 hours at 100.00 %.
Odor Description: At 100.00 %, musty sweet caramel bread coffee.
FEMA Number 2491
According to the Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA), the FEMA number of furfuryl alcohol is 2491.
Bulk Furfuryl Alcohol Manufacturers
The bulk furfuryl alcohol manufacturing landscape is concentrated but competitive, with Chinese producers dominating global output and a select group of international companies serving regional markets with differentiated offerings. Top furfuryl alcohol manufacturers like International Furan Chemicals, Arkema, and Takasago specialize in furfural derivatives, including furfuryl alcohol. They operate a vertically integrated model and have invested significantly in expanding their production capacities.
Sinofi is a bulk furfuryl alcohol manufacturer in China, and we have a manufacturing facility with 2,500 square meters for the production of furfuryl alcohol. We supply high-quality furfuryl alcohol at bulk prices and serve flavour, fragrance, resin, foundry, adhesive and chemical industries worldwide.
Manufacturing Process of Furfuryl Alcohol
The manufacturing of furfuryl alcohol through the catalytic hydrogenation of furfural is a mature and well-optimized industrial process.
Catalytic Hydrogenation of Furfural
The predominant industrial route for the production of furfuryl alcohol is the selective catalytic hydrogenation of the aldehyde group in furfural to the corresponding primary alcohol. This transformation is deceptively simple in concept but requires careful catalyst design and process engineering to achieve high selectivity, as over-hydrogenation can lead to the formation of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, 2-methylfuran, and ring-opened products such as 1,5-pentanediol and levulinic acid.
Reaction Chemistry
The hydrogenation of furfural (C5H4O2) to furfuryl alcohol (C5H6O2) involves the addition of one mole of hydrogen across the carbonyl group. The reaction is exothermic, with a standard enthalpy change of approximately −35 kJ/mol. Selectivity toward furfuryl alcohol depends on the preferential adsorption and activation of the C=O bond over the C=C bonds of the furan ring on the catalyst surface.
The principal competing pathways include further hydrogenation of furfuryl alcohol to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) via saturation of the furan ring, hydrogenolysis to 2-methylfuran (2-MF) with loss of water, and decarbonylation to furan. Ring-opening reactions can also occur under harsh conditions, leading to pentanediols and other linear products. The selectivity challenge is therefore fundamentally about tuning the catalyst and reaction conditions to favor C=O hydrogenation while suppressing ring hydrogenation and C–O bond cleavage.
Bulk Furfuryl Alcohol Suppliers
The global bulk furfuryl alcohol supply market offers procurement professionals a diverse and competitive set of sourcing options. Top furfuryl alcohol suppliers like International Furan Chemicals, Arkema, and Takasago operate dedicated furfuryl alcohol production facilities and have established a robust distribution network spanning Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Chinese furfuryl alcohol suppliers dominate production volumes and offer the most competitive pricing, while western producers such as provide premium quality assurance and supply reliability.
Sinofi is a bulk furfuryl alcohol supplier in China, and we have a warehouse with 1,200 square meters for high-quality furfuryl alcohol. We sell different grades of furfuryl alcohol at wholesale prices, serving end-users in flavour, fragrance, resin, foundry, adhesive, and chemical industries.
Supply Chain of Furfuryl Alcohol
The furfuryl alcohol supply chain is a complex, multi-tier system linking agricultural commodity production to advanced industrial chemistry and diverse end-use applications. Its bio-based character positions it favorably within broader sustainability trends, while its geographic concentration and feedstock dependencies present ongoing strategic challenges.
Supply Chain Structure
The furfuryl alcohol supply chain is organized into three principal tiers: upstream feedstock supply, midstream processing and manufacturing, and downstream distribution and end-use application. Each tier involves distinct participants, logistical requirements, and value-adding activities.
Upstream: Agricultural Feedstock Supply
The supply chain begins with the collection and procurement of lignocellulosic agricultural residues. These biomass feedstocks are the fundamental raw materials from which furfural, and subsequently furfuryl alcohol is manufactured. The most commonly used feedstocks include corncobs (predominant in China), sugarcane bagasse (prevalent in Brazil, India, and South Africa), oat hulls, rice husks, and wheat straw.
Midstream: Processing and Manufacturing
Furfural Production
The first midstream transformation involves the conversion of pentosan-rich biomass into furfural. This is achieved through acid-catalyzed hydrolysis, typically using dilute sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid, followed by steam stripping and distillation to isolate furfural from the reaction mixture. Major furfural producers are concentrated in China, the Dominican Republic, South Africa, and parts of Southeast Asia.
Hydrogenation to Furfuryl Alcohol
Furfural is subsequently converted to furfuryl alcohol through catalytic hydrogenation. The reaction is typically conducted in continuous fixed-bed or slurry reactors using copper-chromite catalysts under hydrogen pressures of 50 to 150 bar and temperatures of 100 to 200 °C. Product purification is accomplished via distillation to achieve commercial-grade purity levels (typically 98 percent or higher).
Downstream: Distribution and End-Use Applications
Furfuryl alcohol enters the downstream supply chain through a combination of direct sales from manufacturers to large industrial consumers and distribution through specialty chemical distributors and trading companies. Bulk shipments are typically transported in stainless steel or lined tank containers via ocean freight for international trade, and by rail or truck tanker for domestic distribution.
Wholesale and Buy Furfuryl Alcohol in Bulk
Procuring furfuryl alcohol in wholesale quantities is a process that demands careful planning, rigorous supplier evaluation, and ongoing market awareness. By focusing on quality assurance, strategic contract structures, compliant logistics, and strong supplier relationships, furfuryl alcohol buyers can secure a dependable supply of this essential chemical while optimizing the total cost of ownership.
Supplier Selection and Qualification
Selecting the right supplier is arguably the most consequential decision in bulk procurement. A reliable furfuryl alcohol supplier should demonstrate consistent product quality, adequate production capacity, and a proven track record of on-time delivery. Furfuryl alcohol buyers should conduct thorough due diligence before entering into supply agreements, including factory audits, reference checks with existing customers, and a review of the supplier’s quality management certifications.
Product Specifications and Quality Assurance
Furfuryl alcohol is commercially available in several purity grades, typically ranging from 96% to 99% or higher. The required specification depends on the intended end use. Foundry applications, for instance, may tolerate slightly lower purity levels, while pharmaceutical or specialty chemical applications often demand higher-grade material with tighter controls on impurities such as water content, acidity, and residual furfural.
Pricing Structures and Contract Negotiation
Wholesale pricing for furfuryl alcohol is typically quoted on a per-metric-ton basis and varies depending on order volume, purity grade, packaging requirements, delivery terms, and the prevailing market price. Larger volume commitments generally command more favorable unit pricing, making it worthwhile for purchasing managers to consolidate demand across business units or production sites where possible.
As a bulk furfuryl alcohol manufacturer and supplier in China, we wholesale this ingredient to end users in flavour, fragrance, resin, foundry, adhesive, and chemical industries. We also supply furfuryl alcohol to small customers. Normally, they want to buy furfuryl alcohol in small quantities. To serve them, we can sell furfuryl alcohol at bulk prices and provide a one-stop purchasing service.
Furfuryl Alcohol Prices (USD/Kg)
Natural Grade Furfuryl Alcohol Prices (GC Content >=98%)
| Volume | Unit Price | Shipment |
| 50g | 6 USD | Express |
| 500g | 31 USD | Express |
| 1Kg | 44 USD/Kg | Express |
| 20Kg | 30% cheaper | Express |
| 100Kg-Above | negotiable | Express / Sea |
Furfuryl alcohol wholesale prices in North America and Europe have experienced a turbulent cycle since late 2024, with U.S. prices ranging from $10/kg to a peak of $30/kg. European prices have proven more stable, trading in a narrow $15–$25/kg band. This pricing divergence reflects deeper structural forces at work: antidumping duties shielding Western producers, a concentrated global supply base dominated by China, and growing demand from sustainability-driven applications.
Furthermore, the above price quotations of furfuryl alcohol do not include the express shipping fee. The reason is that the shipment cost may exceed the sample value of furfuryl alcohol. However, the bulk wholesale prices of furfuryl alcohol will be much lower than those of small orders. Please contact us for more details.
Furfuryl Alcohol Specification
| Appearance | Colorless to light yellow, clear liquid. |
| Odor: | Musty sweet caramel bread coffee. |
| Purity (GC) | >=98% |
| Aldehyde content | <=0.7% |
| Density (20°C) | 1.129 – 1.315 |
| Refractive index @ 20°C | 1.485 – 1.488 |
| Cloud point (°C) | <=10.0 |
Furfuryl Alcohol Uses
Furfuryl alcohol has emerged as a versatile chemical intermediate with applications spanning multiple industries, largely owing to its renewable biomass origin and distinctive polymerization properties.
Applications in Flavour Formulation
From a practical formulation standpoint, furfuryl alcohol is an extraordinarily versatile ingredient. Its application scope spans multiple flavour categories, and its interaction with other flavour chemicals allows the formulator to achieve nuanced, realistic profiles.
Coffee Flavours
Perhaps the most prominent use of furfuryl alcohol is in coffee flavour formulations, where it serves as a near-indispensable component. In combination with other furans (furfural, 5-methylfurfural, 2-acetylfuran) and pyrazines, it provides the roasted, slightly burnt backbone that defines coffee character. Typical usage levels in coffee flavour compositions range from 0.5% to 5.0% depending on the roast profile being targeted. Darker roast profiles demand higher inclusion levels to achieve the requisite burnt intensity.
Bakery and Bread Flavours
In bakery flavour systems, furfuryl alcohol contributes the essential crust note—the warm, toasted character associated with freshly baked bread. When combined with maltol, ethyl maltol, 2-acetylpyrazine, and diacetyl, it helps build convincing bread, croissant, and biscuit profiles. Usage levels tend to be moderate (0.1–1.0% in the flavour concentrate) to maintain a balanced, non-dominant contribution.
Caramel and Confectionery Flavours
The caramellic facets of furfuryl alcohol make it a natural fit for caramel, toffee, and butterscotch flavour systems. It introduces a cooked sugar authenticity that pure synthetic caramellic notes (such as ethyl maltol or furaneol alone) cannot fully achieve. In these applications, furfuryl alcohol acts as a bridge between the sweet top notes and the deeper, slightly bitter finish expected in genuine caramelised sugar.
Meat and Savoury Flavours
In savoury flavour applications, furfuryl alcohol supports roasted and grilled meat notes. It complements thiophenes, pyrazines, and sulfur-containing compounds to build the Maillard reaction character associated with cooked meat. It is particularly effective in replicating the crust of grilled or barbecued meat, where furan-derived volatiles play a prominent role.
Tobacco and Smoke Flavours
Furfuryl alcohol finds additional application in tobacco flavour formulations and smoky profiles, where its slightly phenolic dry-down note and burnt character contribute to complexity. It works in synergy with guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, and syringol to create layered smoke impressions.
Applications in Fragrance
While furfuryl alcohol’s primary domain is flavour, it has limited but notable applications in fragrance formulation. In fine fragrance and functional perfumery, the compound can be employed at trace levels to introduce a gourmand, food-like quality. Specifically, it finds use in “café” and “pâtisserie”-inspired gourmand fragrances, where a realistic baked-goods or coffee accord is desired. It also contributes to ambery and oriental compositions where a warm, caramellic undertone enhances depth, and in niche leather and tobacco fragrances that require a slightly smoky, phenolic edge. In fragrance, the usage levels are typically very low (0.01–0.1% of the total composition) due to the compound’s relatively high odour intensity in certain matrices and its potential to darken over time in alkaline or oxidative conditions.
Resin and Foundry Applications
The single largest consumer of furfuryl alcohol is the foundry industry. Furfuryl alcohol-based resins serve as binders in the production of sand cores and molds used for metal casting. These furan resins offer several advantages over competing binder systems: they cure at ambient temperatures when combined with acid catalysts, they produce castings with superior surface finish, and they generate comparatively low emissions during the pouring process. Major automotive and heavy-equipment manufacturers rely on furan no-bake binder systems for the production of complex engine blocks, transmission housings, and other precision cast components.
Adhesives and Wood Treatment
Furfuryl alcohol has gained increasing attention in the wood products industry. When impregnated into softwood species and polymerized in situ through a process commonly known as furfurylation, the compound transforms low-durability timber into a material with markedly improved hardness, dimensional stability, and resistance to biological decay. In adhesive formulations, furfuryl alcohol serves as both a reactive diluent and a co-monomer, enhancing the moisture resistance and thermal performance of phenolic and urea-formaldehyde adhesives used in plywood, particleboard, and laminated veneer lumber production.
Chemical Intermediate and Solvent
As a chemical building block, furfuryl alcohol is a precursor to several downstream products. It can be converted to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA), a green solvent with low toxicity and excellent solvating power, used in agricultural formulations, cleaning products, and printing inks. Furfuryl alcohol also serves as a starting material in the synthesis of levulinic acid and other platform chemicals that feed into the production of biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and specialty polymers.
Furfuryl Alcohol Benefits
Furfuryl alcohol combines renewable sourcing, strong functional performance, and broad industrial versatility in a way that few other chemicals can match. Its benefits span from sustainable wood preservation and high-performance resin systems to emerging applications in advanced materials and green chemistry.
A Renewable, Bio-Based Origin
Furfuryl alcohol (C₅H₆O₂) is an organic compound derived from furfural, which is itself produced from agricultural byproducts such as corn cobs, sugarcane bagasse, and rice husks. Unlike many industrial chemicals that rely on petroleum-based raw materials, furfuryl alcohol is manufactured from lignocellulosic biomass. This positions it as an environmentally preferable alternative in a global economy that is steadily moving toward sustainable sourcing.
Strong Chemical and Thermal Resistance
Materials produced from furfuryl alcohol exhibit remarkable resistance to a broad spectrum of chemicals, including acids, alkalis, and organic solvents. This makes furfuryl alcohol–based products particularly well-suited for use in chemical processing plants, laboratories, and any environment where exposure to aggressive substances is routine. Additionally, furan-based polymers maintain their structural integrity at elevated temperatures, offering reliable performance in applications where thermal endurance is a critical requirement.
Furfuryl Alcohol in E-Liquid and Vaping Products
Role of Furfuryl Alcohol in E-Liquids
Furfuryl alcohol is present in certain flavouring concentrates used in the manufacture of e-liquids. It contributes to warm, baked, caramelized, or toasted flavour profiles that are highly sought after in dessert-style and tobacco-style e-liquids.
Regulatory Landscape
In the United States, the regulation of e-cigarettes and e-liquids falls under the authority of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Manufacturers seeking to market e-liquids containing furfuryl alcohol must demonstrate that the product is “appropriate for the protection of public health,” which includes providing evidence on the composition and toxicological profile of all ingredients. The European Union regulates e-cigarettes and related products primarily through the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD).
A Coffee Flavour Essence Using Furfuryl Alcohol
Includes the following ingredients (by weight, %):
Ethyl maltol, 3; vanillin, 3; phenylethyl alcohol, 1.5; thiothiazole, 0.15; furfural, 8; furfuryl alcohol, 7.5; 2-acetylpyrazine, 0.4; 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 0.35; 2-ethyl 3,5(6)-dimethylpyrazine, 0.2; 2-ethyl 3-methylpyrazine, 3.75; guaiacol, 9; 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, 4; isovaleraldehyde, 0.4; acetic acid, 0.2; furfuryl acetate, 0.3; 2-acetylfuran, 0.5; 2,6-dimethylfuran, 3.5; propylene glycol, 54.25.
In conclusion, furfuryl alcohol is an important organic compound derived from renewable biomass feedstocks. It serves as a versatile chemical intermediate with widespread applications. As a bulk furfuryl alcohol manufacturer and supplier in China, we sell different grades of furfuryl alcohol at wholesale prices to clients around the world.