Fragrance Learned from Nature and Fragrance-release Control Technology

A variety of natural scents, such as the fresh scent of flowers, herbs, and fruits, as well as other pleasant aromas in the environment like forests and grass fields, are available for humans to enjoy. In fact, it is known that these natural scents are not uniform, but rather change in quality and strength with the passage of time.
Kao has developed a method to analyze changes in natural scents over time by enhancing “Aeroscent” technology, which can accurately analyze aroma constituents in air. With this method, we are able to understand the fluctuations of natural scents for a few days by controlling the flow of aroma-containing air and capturing it with collection tubes. For example, the blooming of a flower was analyzed from start to finish, while in another study the aromas in a natural forest from dawn to dusk were examined. Findings of natural scents regarding their best timing and composition obtained from these analyses are being used for developing the fragrance of products, which has been named the “Time-Aroma Formula”.
Kao has also investigated fragrance-releasing systems occurring in nature. For example, some aroma constituents of plants are stored in a sugar-binding state (glycoside) and slowly released as necessary by being separated from sugar. Inspired by such systems in plants, we have developed technologies for controlling the timing of fragrance release as well as strength that are appropriate for situations when consumers use our products.

The results of Kao’s research of natural scents can be summarized as “Fragrance learned from nature” and are being put into practical use for product development.