3-Hydroxybutanone

3-Hydroxybutanone, also known as acetoin or acetyl methyl carbinol, is a chemical compound composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Its formula is C₄H₈O₂. It is a colourless or pale yellow to green yellow liquid with a pleasant buttery odour.

In food products

Acetoin, along with diacetyl, is one of the compounds that gives butter its characteristic taste. Because of this, manufacturers of partially hydrogenated oils typically add acetoin and diacetyl (along with beta carotene for the yellow color) to the final product, which would otherwise be tasteless.

Acetoin is used as a food flavoring (in baked goods) and a fragrance. It can be found in apples, butter, yogurt, asparagus, black currants, blackberry, wheat, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cantaloupe.

Cigarette additive

In a 1994 report released by five top cigarette companies, acetoin was listed as one of the 599 additives to cigarettes.

References

External links

• MSDS
• ChemExper