Ethyl formate has the characteristic smell of rum and is partially responsible for the flavor of raspberries,[3] occurring naturally in some plant oils, fruits, and juices.

[4] According to the U.S Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), ethyl formate can irritate eyes, skin, mucous membranes, and the respiratory system of humans and other animals; it is also a central nervous system depressant.

It can be used as a substitute for acetone; workers may also be exposed to it under the following circumstances:[5] OSHA considers a time-weighted average of 100 parts per million (300 milligrams per cubic meter) over an eight-hour period as the permissible exposure limit.

The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also considers a time-weighted average of 100 ppm over an eight-hour period as the recommended exposure limit.

[6] Ethyl formate has been identified in dust clouds in an area of the Milky Way galaxy called Sagittarius B2.