316
Chapter 18 · Enchanting Chemistry - Natural Flavors and Fragrances
18
vanilla pods, but is produced synthetically
from natural sources (see 7 Sect. 11.4.3)
or basic petrochemicals (BOX: The taste of
vanilla). Vanillin is mainly used as a flavoring
ingredient (approx. 84%). It also serves as a
starting material for the synthesis of certain
pharmaceuticals (approx. 13%). Only 3% are
used as a fragrance.
5 (-)-Ambrox (also called ambroxan) is the
trade name of one of the characteristic fragrances of ambergris. Originally, ambergris
scents were made from the sperm whale’s
excrements washed ashore. Due to the
limited availability, different nature-identical
molecules were synthesized. (-)-Ambrox and
analogous fragrances are reported with an
annual production of more than 30 tons, the
price is in the range of 1000 € kg −1 .
Also worth mentioning are the characteristic
components of the animal raw materials musk,
civet and castoreum, which are highly valued in
the perfume industry: Modern synthetic chemistry has made it possible to produce these ingredients without the need for animals. On the one
hand, this is a great advantage in terms of price;
on the other hand, the population of these rare
animals can be protected.
Artificial fragrances and flavors are not made
from natural sources and do not have a model in
nature: They try to imitate a well-known smell
or taste. Today, only about 15 artificial flavorings
are permitted for use in foodstuffs in Germany,
including ethyl vanillin (BOX: The taste of vanilla).
Far more artificial fragrances are used in the fragrance industry. These imitate, for example, the
scent of musk, jasmine or roses, although they do
not occur in nature.
Natural fragrances and flavors are opposed
by synthetic substances. These include
nature-identical fragrances and flavors, which
have a molecular model in nature. A chemical
compound is produced synthetically, mostly
from fossil raw materials, which can also be
found in nature as a fragrance and flavor. The
compound thus does not differ in its chemical
properties from its natural counterpart and can
therefore not be distinguished in the final formulation. Important examples from this category
include (-)-menthol and β-ionone (7 Chap. 12),
vanillin and (-)-ambrox® (. Fig. 18.5).
5 (-)-Menthol is the characteristic fragrance of
peppermint. It can be produced synthetically
e.g. from the monoterpene citral. About
19,000 tons of menthol are produced annually, of which about 13,000 tons are isolated
from natural sources, especially the essential
oils of peppermint. The price of menthol is
around 20–60 € kg −1 . The most important
applications are as flavoring in cigarettes, in
pharmaceuticals such as cough syrups and in
oral hygiene articles.
5 β-Ionone is one of the fragrances contained
in the violet scent and is produced in its
pure form only synthetically, e.g. from citral
(7 Chap. 12) via the intermediate stage of
pseudoionone. The pseudoionone in turn
serves as the starting material for the synthesis of vitamin A (see 7 Sect. 17.2.1).
Therefore, more β-ionone is produced than
is required for the fragrance industry, which
makes it relatively inexpensive.
5 Vanillin is the aromatic component of the
vanilla pod and belongs to the substance
group of benzaldehydes. The majority of
the vanillin produced is not obtained from
Chapter 18 · Enchanting Chemistry - Natural Flavors and Fragrances
18
vanilla pods, but is produced synthetically
from natural sources (see 7 Sect. 11.4.3)
or basic petrochemicals (BOX: The taste of
vanilla). Vanillin is mainly used as a flavoring
ingredient (approx. 84%). It also serves as a
starting material for the synthesis of certain
pharmaceuticals (approx. 13%). Only 3% are
used as a fragrance.
5 (-)-Ambrox (also called ambroxan) is the
trade name of one of the characteristic fragrances of ambergris. Originally, ambergris
scents were made from the sperm whale’s
excrements washed ashore. Due to the
limited availability, different nature-identical
molecules were synthesized. (-)-Ambrox and
analogous fragrances are reported with an
annual production of more than 30 tons, the
price is in the range of 1000 € kg −1 .
Also worth mentioning are the characteristic
components of the animal raw materials musk,
civet and castoreum, which are highly valued in
the perfume industry: Modern synthetic chemistry has made it possible to produce these ingredients without the need for animals. On the one
hand, this is a great advantage in terms of price;
on the other hand, the population of these rare
animals can be protected.
Artificial fragrances and flavors are not made
from natural sources and do not have a model in
nature: They try to imitate a well-known smell
or taste. Today, only about 15 artificial flavorings
are permitted for use in foodstuffs in Germany,
including ethyl vanillin (BOX: The taste of vanilla).
Far more artificial fragrances are used in the fragrance industry. These imitate, for example, the
scent of musk, jasmine or roses, although they do
not occur in nature.
Natural fragrances and flavors are opposed
by synthetic substances. These include
nature-identical fragrances and flavors, which
have a molecular model in nature. A chemical
compound is produced synthetically, mostly
from fossil raw materials, which can also be
found in nature as a fragrance and flavor. The
compound thus does not differ in its chemical
properties from its natural counterpart and can
therefore not be distinguished in the final formulation. Important examples from this category
include (-)-menthol and β-ionone (7 Chap. 12),
vanillin and (-)-ambrox® (. Fig. 18.5).
5 (-)-Menthol is the characteristic fragrance of
peppermint. It can be produced synthetically
e.g. from the monoterpene citral. About
19,000 tons of menthol are produced annually, of which about 13,000 tons are isolated
from natural sources, especially the essential
oils of peppermint. The price of menthol is
around 20–60 € kg −1 . The most important
applications are as flavoring in cigarettes, in
pharmaceuticals such as cough syrups and in
oral hygiene articles.
5 β-Ionone is one of the fragrances contained
in the violet scent and is produced in its
pure form only synthetically, e.g. from citral
(7 Chap. 12) via the intermediate stage of
pseudoionone. The pseudoionone in turn
serves as the starting material for the synthesis of vitamin A (see 7 Sect. 17.2.1).
Therefore, more β-ionone is produced than
is required for the fragrance industry, which
makes it relatively inexpensive.
5 Vanillin is the aromatic component of the
vanilla pod and belongs to the substance
group of benzaldehydes. The majority of
the vanillin produced is not obtained from