Ethyl formate

Ethyl formate is a simple aliphatic ester that is full of benefits and concerns. It’s a clear, slightly oily liquid with a pleasant, rumlike odor and the flavor of raspberries.

The ester occurs in many food substances, including fruits, coffee, tea, and grains. The synthetic product is often used as a flavoring agent in lemonade and artificial alcoholic beverages. It is used industrially as a solvent and as a fungicide and larvicide in processed foods such as dried fruits and cereals.

In its pure form, ethyl formate has several dangerous properties, as shown in the hazard information box (a new Molecule of the Week feature in 2018—Ed.).

In 2009, researchers at Cornell University and the University of Cologne detected ethyl formate in outer space—specifically, in the Sagittarius B2 dust cloud at the center of the Milky Way. Four years later, scientists in Spain and France confirmed its existence, this time in the Orion constellation. Discoveries of this and many other organic molecules in space give some researchers hope that extraterrestrial life can exist.