Givaudan unveils fermentation route to prized fragrance ingredient

In Switzerland, flavor and fragrance giant Givaudan says it has developed a fermentation-based production route for ambroxide, an alternative to the expensive and rare perfume ingredient ambergris.

Trade named Ambrofix, the ingredient is made by fermentation using sugarcane as feedstock. It requires 100x less land to produce than the traditional pathway.

“We are thrilled that this new biocatalytic process produces Ambrofix as a powerful, substantive and stable ambery note while aligning to Givaudan’s sustainability approach, ‘A Sense of Tomorrow’. With consumers increasingly seeking safe, high quality and sustainable products, our commitment to responsible innovation leverages our capabilities and expertise to develop fragrance molecules loved by people everywhere for a sustainable tomorrow,” says Jeremy Compton, Global Head of Fragrance Science and Technology.

Since originally being synthesized in the 1950s, Ambrofix has been used in numerous consumer products, such as detergents and shampoos as well as high-end fragrances.