Industrial Fragrance Chemistry: A Brief Historical Perspective

Perfumery has evolved from a handcraft activity, marking supreme aristocratic luxury in the Renaissance, to a global industry powering scent experiences for present-day consumers through the use of a myriad of consumer packaged goods. This contribution reviews major breakthroughs in the field, including landmark fragrance ingredients, technological advances in scent delivery, and key innovations in consumer products which created the demand for scientific and technological advancements in the scent domain. These innovations are presented chronologically, relying solely on information drawn from public written sources, spanning a time period of 150 years (1870-2020). We hope with this contribution to generate interest in the readership for this fascinating field, while celebrating 150 years of innovation for scented mass-market products. This short review provides a historical overview of the key scientific and technological advancements in the field of fragrance chemistry and their impact on consumer goods such as perfume, deodorants, detergents, shampoos, and soaps over a span of 150 years. We honor the pioneering chemists, among whom several Nobel Prize winners can be counted, for their seminal scientific discoveries that have profoundly shaped this field.image

Automated summary

This article reviews major breakthroughs in the field of perfumery, including fragrance ingredients, technological advances in scent delivery, and consumer product innovations. The innovations are presented chronologically, covering a span of 150 years. The article provides a historical overview of the impact of scientific and technological advancements in fragrance chemistry on consumer goods, while honoring pioneering chemists.