What is the difference between natural fragrance and synthetic fragrance?

Natural fragrance (natural fragrance products), with natural spices and other natural materials (medicinal herbs, etc.) as the core components; Synthetic fragrance (synthetic fragrance), with chemically synthesized spices as the core component. So, the difference between natural fragrance and synthetic fragrance mainly comes from the difference between natural flavors and synthetic flavors.

Natural spices

Natural flavor is an aromatic substance obtained by physical methods (such as cutting, drying, distillation, etc.) or biological means (such as fermentation) using the aromatic parts of animals and plants as raw materials. Its chemical composition is basically the same as that of raw materials, mostly in the condensed form of essence oil, pure oil, ointment, wood block, dried flower, etc.

Natural flavors are divided into two categories: animal based and plant-based. Animal based natural fragrances are mostly animal secretions or excreta, commonly used including musk, civet, beaver, ambergris, and musk rat fragrance; About 400 types of plant-based natural flavors have been effectively utilized, including plant roots, stems, branches, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, resins, etc., all of which can be used as raw materials.

There are two main forms of natural flavors. One is the original fragrant material, which is made from aromatic raw materials through simple processing such as cleaning, drying, and segmentation, and can better preserve the composition and appearance of the raw materials. Its natural quality is pure and suitable for making incense; Second, extracts, including essence oil, pure oil, extract, etc., are obtained by physically extracting the oil (including the main fragrant ingredients) in the oil glands and oil pockets of aromatic plants, which is convenient for transportation, storage and use, and promotes the development of the fragrance industry.

Synthetic spice

Synthetic spices are aromatic substances synthesized through chemical methods, which can simulate the aroma of natural spices. It analyzes the chemical structure of aromatic components in natural flavors and produces compounds with the same structure using chemical methods, often named after the simulated natural flavors, such as muscone. Its raw materials are mostly non natural animal and plant products such as coal chemical and petrochemical industries. Currently, there are over 5000 types and more than 400 commonly used. The synthetic spice industry is an important part of modern fine chemical industry. Synthetic fragrances are mainly classified according to functional groups (such as ketones, alcohols, etc.) or carbon atom frameworks (such as terpenes, synthetic musk, etc.).

There is also a special type of single spice, which is a monomeric spice compound that is "isolated" by chemical or physical methods from natural raw materials containing multiple compounds. It is not synthesized, and due to the use of natural raw materials, it is not completely the same as synthetic fragrances, and the production methods are diverse, making it inconvenient to simply classify it as natural or synthetic fragrances. However, because most can be chemically synthesized, it is generally closer to synthetic fragrances.

Essence, also known as blending spice, is a mixture prepared according to a specific proportion. The raw materials can be natural or synthetic spices. The daily "essence" is mostly made of synthetic spices, while "essence oil" is the extract of natural spices, belonging to natural spices.

The more professional classification methods for spices are natural spices, equivalent natural spices, and artificial spices. Artificial flavors are chemically synthesized flavors whose chemical structures have not been discovered in nature; Equivalent natural flavors are flavors that have the same chemical structure as the corresponding substances in natural flavors, including chemically synthesized and isolated monolayers from natural materials. Except for a few monolayers that can be called natural flavors, most equivalent natural flavors can be called chemically synthesized flavors.

The function of natural fragrance

The history of using spices in ancient Eurasian civilizations can be traced back to 3000-5000 years ago. There are many similarities in the use of spices between the East and the West in ancient times. In addition to offering sacrifices and adding fragrance, they are also commonly used in medical and health fields such as sedation and pain relief.

Some people believe that the total amount of aromatic substances in daily fragrances is small and cannot achieve the effect of health preservation and disease treatment, but modern research is not like this. Neuroimmunology research has shown that the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system are closely interconnected. A small amount of aromatic components can be ingested through respiration, coating, and other pathways, which can affect the "neuroendocrine immune network" and trigger a series of changes in the body, playing a special role. The soothing and relaxing experience brought by fragrance is not only a psychological sensation, but also accompanied by changes in physiological indicators such as brainwaves and blood pressure, which have a significant impact on the recovery of people who have lost their sense of smell.

In recent years, research on exogenous hormones has also made people pay more attention to aroma. Exohormones are substances used by animals to transmit information. In the past, it was believed that humans' ability to recognize hormones had deteriorated, but now it has been discovered that humans still have a "vomeronasal organ" that detects hormones and has a clear response to fragrance.

The role of aroma involves multiple fields, and although the mechanism of its influence has not been fully explained yet, modern science is constantly proving the ancient experience that 'the fragrance of nature has a great potential'.

The difference between synthetic flavors and natural flavors

After British chemist Parkin made the first synthetic spice "coumarin" from coal tar in 1868, most natural spices already had corresponding synthetic products, and some synthetic spices did not have corresponding structural substances in nature. Synthetic fragrances are made from chemical materials containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, such as coal chemical and petrochemical industries. The raw materials are easily available, the cost is low, and the production is not limited by natural factors. This greatly expands the application range of aromatic materials and increases the number of aromatic products in daily life.

However, although synthetic flavors are popular in the spice industry, they have not truly replaced natural flavors. Firstly, its purity varies greatly, and impurities and residues can affect the aroma quality and produce (toxic) side effects. Its scope of use is limited, and it is generally not suitable for infants, young children, and the elderly. Secondly, even with the most advanced technology, the aroma of synthetic spices is difficult to escape the traces of "axe chiseling", which is significantly different from natural spices, and the difference in psychological effects is even more significant. The former can hardly bring the physical and mental experiences that natural spices can produce, such as "pleasure" and "emotion", that is, "having its taste but not its qi, having its form but not its spirit". Therefore, perfumers often add natural flavors to synthetic fragrances to enhance their flexibility.

The value of natural flavors also lies in their extensive medical and health benefits, which synthetic flavors cannot match. The composition of natural spices is complex, and it is even more difficult to analyze and grasp them comprehensively and accurately with existing technology. Their efficacy also involves multiple fields such as smell, psychology, and neuroscience, which are currently under research.

Nowadays, people are gradually realizing the drawbacks of chemical products, and "green" and "natural" have become a consensus, which should also be the development direction of contemporary fragrance production and use.