Flavouring ingredient Although there are some reports claiming that ethyl acrylate is a carcinogen, major respected bodies regard the evidence of human carcinogenicity as weak and/or inconsistent. The International Agency for Research on Cancer stated, "Overall evaluation, Ethyl acrylate is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B)." The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states, "Human studies on occupational exposure to ethyl acrylate... have suggested a relationship between exposure to the chemical(s) and colorectal cancer, but the evidence is conflicting and inconclusive. In a study by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), increased incidences of squamous cell papillomas and carcinomas of the forestomach were observed in rats and mice exposed via gavage (experimentally placing the chemical in the stomach). However, the NTP recently determined that these data were not relevant to human carcinogenicity and removed ethyl acrylate from its list of carcinogens." (Occupational exposure generally involves exposure that occurs regularly, over an extended period of time.); Ethyl acrylate is an organic compound primarily used in the preparation of various polymers. It is a clear liquid with an acrid penetrating odor. The human nose is capable of detecting this odor at a thousand times lower concentration then is considered harmful if continuously exposed for some period of time.