Carvone: Why and how should one bother to produce this terpene

D-Carvone or (4S)-(+)-carvone has a caraway/dill odour and is the main constituent of caraway (Caruin carvi) and dill (Anethum graveolens) seed oils whilst (L)-Carvone or (4R)-(-)-carvone has a sweet spearmint odour and is the main constituent of spearmint (Mentha spicata). Carvone is produced by both extraction and purification of essential oils from caraway, dill and spearmint seeds and by chemical and biotechnological synthesis. The several applications of carvone as fragrance and flavour, potato sprouting inhibitor, antimicrobial agent, building block and biochemical environmental indicator, along with its relevancy in the medical field, justify the interest in this monoterpene. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.