Sucrose octaacetate is an acetylated

Acetylation

Acetylation describes a reaction that introduces an acetyl functional group into a chemical compound...

 derivative of sucrose

Sucrose

Sucrose is the organic compound commonly known as table sugar and sometimes called saccharose. A white, odorless, crystalline powder with a sweet taste, it is best known for its role in human nutrition. The molecule is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose with the molecular formula...

. It is used commercially and industrially in a variety of applications. It is used as an inert ingredient in pesticides and herbicides. As of December 2005 sucrose octaacetate was determined by the EPA to be completely nonharmful as an ingredient in pesticides.

Sucrose octaacetate has been approved by the FDA as a food additive. It has a bitter taste which has led to its use as bitterant

Bitterant

A bitterant is a chemical that is added to a product to make it smell or taste bitter. Bitterants are commonly used as aversive agents to discourage the inhalation or ingestion of toxic substances.-Examples of use:...

 and an aversive agent

Aversive agent

Aversive agents are unpleasantly flavored substances added to poisonous household goods in order to discourage children from consuming the poisonous household products. Aversive agents are not intended to be harmful, only unpleasant...

. The chemical has also been used to determine tasters from non-tasters

Supertaster

A supertaster is a person who experiences the sense of taste with far greater intensity than average. Women are more likely to be supertasters, as are individuals of Asian and African descent. The cause of this heightened response is currently unknown, although it is thought to be, at least in...

in mice.