Blue California expands natural fragrance portfolio with nerolidol launch
16 Dec 2021 --- Blue California has added ethical nerolidol to its Plantarôme line of flavors and fragrances. According to the company, its nerolidol is produced in a cleaner, more natural, sustainable and cost-effective manner. It is also the first ingredient in the 2022 pipeline of Blue California’s Taste, Smell, and Beauty Division.
The natural ingredient manufacturer says that nerolidol has a wide range of applications as a sustainable chemical intermediate. This includes use in cosmetics like perfumes and shampoos, and non-cosmetics like household detergents and cleansers.
This is because of its moderate polarity and optical activity. The clean nerolidol is produced via a “high-yielding” fermentation process for producing sesquiterpenes and lactones.
The company’s partner, Conagen, a synthetic biology R&D company, devised the process.
Floral fragrance
Nerolidol’s scent belongs to the floral fragrance family. The ingredient is a sesquiterpene alcohol found in the essential oils of different plants and flowers. It is most notably found in the Seville or bitter orange blossom, known as Neroli, from which it derives its name.
The note is characterized by its fresh, sweet and slightly woody smell. Bitter orange is one of the most widely used scents in perfumery, cosmetics, and household products.
Bitter orange is one of the most common scent notes in personal care and home cleaning.According to the journals, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics and Molecules, there is ongoing research regarding the ingredient’s role in the transdermal delivery of therapeutic drugs.
Previous collaborations between Blue California and Conagen have led to the creation of a colorless, odorless rosmarinic acid, a “bitter blocker” technology and a novel fermentation-derived nicotinamide mononucleotide.
Sustainable production
The company aims to offer clients “plant-based materials which are either not possible, not practical, or not consistently available to harvest from Nature.”
According to Innova Market Insights, plant-based claims in products are on a significant upward trend. Between 2019 and 2020, plant-based claims in product launches rose by 51% across the globe. This September, PersonalCareInsights spoke to industry members about the market significance of this shift, in addition to other market trends.
“Biotechnology is opening doors to sustainable ingredients that weren’t previously possible. Our collaboration with innovation partner Conagen provides efficient and effective commercialization,” says Kathy Oglesby, head of flavors & fragrances at Blue California.
The company hopes its partnership with Conagen and the launch of nerolidol will advance the markets it can serve.
“Together, we are revolutionizing the flavor and fragrance ingredient industry with our disruptive capabilities for producing clean, sustainable solutions and product applications,” notes Dr. Casey Lippmeier, vice president of innovation at Blue California.
Previous releases also include Plantarôme S, a natural sandalwood material, and Plantarôme M, a type of natural biodegradable musk. The Plantarôme is significant within the fragrance industry, as it ethicizes the production of scents formerly derived from unethical or unsustainable sources.
Edited by Olivia Nelson
