IFEATWORLD October 2022

WORLD 3 

FROM THE VANCOUVER 

CONFERENCE CHAIR 

Greetings readers, IFEAT Members, 

delegates, accompanying persons, 

speakers, and guests! It’s my honour 

and privilege to offer those attending 

a warm Pacific welcome to the IFEAT 

2022 Vancouver Conference! This 

Conference has been a long time in 

coming. After three years since the 

COVID pandemic began we are finally 

able to meet face to face and enjoy 

one another’s company which has 

been missing in our lives for too long. 

We have been working tirelessly to 

organise what will surely be one of the 

greatest Conferences IFEAT has ever 

held. 

Our pre-entertainment and welcome 

reception highlight a programme 

offered by Canada’s Indigenous First 

Nations peoples along with a talented 

acoustic guitarist. Delicious hors 

d’oeuvres have been selected for the 

Sunday evening event and you will 

surely not want to miss those. 

As this is our first hybrid 

Conference you will notice digital 

screens throughout the venue 

offering streaming content of the 

presentations and other meaningful 

IFEAT information. 

The early opening of the Whova 

platform has yielded excellent 

benefits in advance of our 9th October 

first day. Polling has been conducted 

and for those of you that have replied, 

thank you; we can assure you that 

more polls will be deployed during 

the Conference to help us provide 

you with an excellent experience to 

maximise your group participation 

time and learning whilst in Vancouver. 

I am incredibly excited about the 

lineup of speakers we have this year. 

As mentioned in an earlier writing, 

Minter Dial will deliver a keynote 

speech that will undoubtedly inspire 

and help kick off our Conference; 

you will not want to miss Minter’s 

presentation! There will be many 

presentations related to the 

regulatory landscape our industries 

are confronted with and on Thursday, 

a crop report presented by Henry Gill 

will seal our presentations. 

Sustainability is a key topic for our 

world, and indeed for our Conference 

too. Many initiatives, including the 

utilisation of digital screens for 

communication, have been deployed, 

such as water bottle refilling stations 

and more, so we can be assured 

we are doing our part to protect our 

earth and the environment. Please 

do your part to help us with this 

important initiative. 

Prepare yourself to enjoy the Closing 

Banquet, situated in the Vancouver 

Convention Centre with awe-inspiring 

views of the North Shore Mountains 

and the expansive English Bay. The 

entertainment by the Phonix Dance 

Band will not disappoint. 

Lastly, thank you to the IFEAT 

Executive Committee, Local 

Organising Committee, and the IFEAT 

professional staff, and consultants for 

helping to make this Conference one 

to remember. 

Alan Brown 

Chair of the IFEAT 2022 

Vancouver Conference Committee 

CONTENTS 

Education Annual Roundup 6 - 7 

In Search of Perfumes 8 - 10 

My Favourite: Yuzu Oil 12 - 14 

In the News 18 

Socio-Economic Report 20 - 29 

on Cedarwood Oils 

IFRA UK Fragrance 30 

Forum 2022 

If you would like to contribute editorial, 

or write a “My Favourite” article, please 

contact the editor, Tina Hotchin, 

by email at: tina.hotchin@ifeat.org

4 

WORLD 

THANK YOU TO OUR IFEAT 

VANCOUVER CONFERENCE 

SPONSORS 

PLATINUM 

THANK YOU TO OUR IFEAT VANCOUVER CONFERENCE SPONSORS 

LANYARDS 

RECHARGE AREA 

GOLD 

CLOSING BANQUET 

ONLINE PLATFORM & APP 

SILVER 

28 

HOTEL KEY CARd LUNCH BREAKS 

COFFEE BREAKS 

ROUNDTABLE 

FLAVOUR & FRAGRANCE 

INGREDIENTS WORKSHOP 

DELEGATE BAG GIFT INSERT

IFEAT 2022 VANCOUVER 

CONFERENCE MEDIA 

PARTNERS 

OUR MEDIA PARTNERS

6 

WORLD 

EDUCATION: ANN 

REPORT ON THE FLAVOURIST 

TRAINING COURSE AT READING 

by Professor D.S. Mottram 

EDUCATION ANNUAL ROUNDUP 

The nineteenth Flavourist Training 

Course was held at the University 

of Reading from 10th to 27th May 

2022, with twelve participants from 

eight countries: Australia, Austria, 

Belgium, Germany, Portugal, South 

Africa, USA, and the UK. The diverse 

range of countries from which the 

delegates came is typical of the 

course each year. The participants 

this year were all very enthusiastic 

and highly motivated, as well as being 

very sociable, which created a great 

learning environment. 

This year saw the 200th participant 

and since 2002 we have now 

welcomed trainee flavourists from 

48 different countries covering 

all continents and reflecting the 

world-wide appeal of this unique 

course. The popularity and the wide 

appeal is helped significantly by the 

publicity provided by IFEAT at the 

annual Conference and through its 

publications. 

The course centres on practical 

flavour creation in the laboratory and 

is primarily designed for graduates 

working in the flavour or food 

industries seeking to upgrade their 

skills. It is run once each year and, 

although COVID prevented us holding 

a course in 2020, it did take place 

in 2021 for participants living and 

working in the UK, and resumed with 

international delegates this year. 

The course is taught by very 

experienced flavourists and essential 

oil experts, who are members of the 

British Society of Flavourists, and by 

lecturers in flavour science at the 

University of Reading. 

For a number of years it has been 

oversubscribed. Applicants who 

could not be offered places in 2022 

have already reserved places on 

the 2023 course. This will be held 

from 8th to 26th May 2023. Since 

the course has filled quickly in 

recent years, early application is 

recommended. More information can 

be found at: 

www.reading.ac.uk/food/shortcourses/flavourist-training 

MATTHIAS 

GUGGENBERGER 

Best Student 2022 

Reading Flavourist Course 

After completing 

his Masters 

degree in 

Biological 

Chemistry, 

Matthias made his 

first steps into the 

world of flavours 

when working on his PhD thesis 

investigating volatile compounds 

released from technical lignins at the 

University of Natural Resources and 

Life Sciences, Vienna. 

Inspired by this experience of odours 

and scents, he started his professional 

career in 2021 as an analytical 

chemist at AKRAS Flavours GmbH, 

which turned out to be the ideal 

place for evolving his skills in flavour 

creation. Matthias first analysed 

flavours and compounds, but soon 

progressed to flavour development. 

Immediately he was totally excited 

and thrilled to be able to compound 

his own first flavours. His dedication 

and enthusiasm led to the unique 

opportunity of taking part in Reading 

University’s Flavourist Course in 2022. 

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience 

to learn from highly experienced and 

inspiring professionals together with 

students from all around the globe. 

Every part of this course, starting 

from tasting, smelling, describing 

single flavour chemicals, essential 

oils, and oleoresins, to blending 

them to final flavours was not only a 

profound professional gain but also 

a huge personal one. This Flavourist 

Course comes as a whole package 

with information about analytical, 

regulatory, and processing aspects 

together with hands-on training. The 

course has a strong influence on how 

I understand, manage, and solve 

my daily challenges as a part of the 

flavour industry striving to provide the 

best products to meet our customers’ 

demands.” 

READING STUDENTS 

photo by D.S. Mottram

WORLD 7 

NUAL ROUNDUP 

REPORT ON THE IFEAT/ICATS POSTGRADUATE 

COURSES IN AROMA TRADES STUDIES 

by Dr Ali Green 

As with everyone, this year has been 

one of transition from virtual to inperson 

events for ICATS. Last year’s 

excellent online IFEAT Conference 

was swiftly followed by IFRA’s 

Fragrance Forum in London, where 

Deirdre Makepeace and Sharon 

Shand represented us. I continue to 

attend excellent online events from 

the British Society of Flavourists 

and the British Society of Perfumers 

including presentations as varied as 

sensomics, green technology in flavour 

production, sustainability, careers in 

the industry and this year’s trends in 

fine fragrance. Reports on all events 

were featured in ICATS News which 

can be found online here: 

www.icatsaromaeducation.com/ 

news-and-events 

The diversity of topics relevant to 

the aroma trades ensures there is 

never a dull day and represents what 

a rich industry we are part of. This 

wonderful variety was also reflected 

in some of the excellent graduates 

we had in ICATS this year with a wide 

range of dissertation topics. Inga 

Rafferty presented An Evaluation of 

Lavender and Lavandin Species and 

their Applications in Perfumery about 

which our external examiner Prof. 

Dave Harwood said: “This is the most 

interesting dissertation I have read for 

some time and would form a very good 

basis for further research”. Gemma 

Parr wrote on Gender Neutrality in 

Fragrances, whilst IFEAT medalwinning 

student Holly King wrote on 

Fragrances as Signal Attributes: A Case 

Study in the Selection of Fragrances 

for Hand Sanitisers and Chong Chun 

Hang presented his research on the 

Challenges of Flavour Matching, Flavour 

Profile and Performance Maintenance in 

Line Extension. As ever, ICATS students 

not only wrote on a range of topics, but 

they also reflected the global nature of 

the industry with enrolments this year 

from Asia, Africa, Australasia, the US 

and Europe. 

ICATS provides cost-effective, 

flexible solutions to aroma trades 

education with discounts for IFEAT 

members. Open distance learning 

means students can choose a 

programme that suits them and their 

employers whilst being supported 

by expert tutors and authoritative 

learning material, all endorsed 

by and developed with IFEAT and 

professionals in the aroma trades. 

Our website 

www.icatsaromaeducation.com 

contains all the information you will 

need about our flexible, distancelearning 

courses on all aspects of 

the aroma trades from raw materials 

to marketing and logistics. We have 

exciting course developments in the 

pipeline and would like to thank IFEAT 

for their support for our courses and 

look forward to the next year working 

with our industry partners. 

HOLLY KING 

ICATS Best Student 

(Fragrance Pathway) 2022 

(Academic years 2021 – 2022) 

Holly told 

IFEATWORLD, 

“I’ve been in the 

fragrance industry 

for six years but 

didn’t even know 

the industry existed 

until I started 

working as a perfumer’s assistant 

in May 2016! Back then, whilst I was 

working with all the raw materials in 

the fragrance lab, I discovered my 

passion for fragrance development 

and perfumery and began to further 

develop my sense of smell by becoming 

involved in olfactive quality testing, 

evaluation assessments, and sensory 

panelling. This is when I thought the 

ICATS diploma was a perfect way to 

find the path that I wanted to pursue, 

which was to be a fragrance evaluator. 

“When I first started the ICATS 

programme, I didn’t realise how 

valuable all the modules would be to 

give me a better understanding of the 

whole supply chain. But this knowledge 

around different areas has had a huge 

impact on how I approach things in my 

daily work life and has also inspired me 

to gain experience in different parts of 

the supply chain, i.e., customer supply/ 

planning. The fact that I studied the 

programme through the COVID-19 

pandemic, did make it difficult mentally, 

but I had so much support from family, 

friends, and my tutor that it just pushed 

me to complete it and hand sanitiser 

was the inspiration for my dissertation. 

I am now able to apply so much of the 

knowledge I gained from my studies to 

real work situations. I am so grateful 

for the recognition and cannot wait to 

see where this qualification will take my 

career to next - hopefully another step 

closer to fragrance evaluation!” 

EDUCATION ANNUAL ROUNDUP

8 

WORLD 

“IN SEARCH 

OF PERFUMES” 

BY DOMINIQUE ROQUES 

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR 

“IN SEARCH OF PERFUMES” BY DOMINIQUE ROQUES 

The English version of the French 

book entitled Cueilleur d’essences: 

Aux sources des parfums du monde 

is due to be launched at the IFEAT 

2022 Vancouver Conference. The 

English version, In Search of Perfumes, 

is written by Dominique Roques, 

a Member of the IFEAT Executive 

Committee. 

IFEATWORLD editor Tina Hotchin 

chatted with Dominique about his 

inspiration behind the book. 

Tina: Where did the idea to write a 

book come from? 

Dominique: I think what gave me 

the idea is that I wanted to share 

my memories but in the sense of 

connecting the history side of the 

ingredients with our industry. So that 

means the history and the locations 

throughout the world as well as the 

amazing people who still carry this 

heritage. The book is about history, 

the world of perfumes, and the 

people. 

I think that wasn’t really done before 

in the sense that you realise that it 

weaves an incredible tapestry, both 

in terms of going back centuries for 

products such as frankincense or 

cedar oils and this tapestry expands 

through history from Persia to the 

entire world. Along the way you find 

characters and personalities that are 

absolutely fascinating and sometimes 

incredible people who do a lot for the 

industry, sometimes in very remote 

and hidden places - that built, for 

me, a fantastic thread between the 

field and the bottle. I know this image 

is used very often but it’s true. My 

book tries to explain that if the fact 

that perfume is luxury is very obvious 

for all of us, the fact that jasmine 

absolute is also totally luxurious, is not 

that obvious to others and I would like 

people to understand and encompass 

this more than they currently do. 

Tina: When did you become involved 

in the industry? Did someone or 

something inspire you? 

Dominique: I stepped into the industry 

by joining Biolandes over 30 years ago, 

in 1988. I discovered it along the way 

really, especially because I started my 

onboarding in the industry by going 

to places to build distillation and 

extraction units - Spain, Madagascar, 

Morocco, and Bulgaria - and now, 34 

years later, I find myself very fortunate 

and lucky to have been exposed 

to this side of the industry, which is 

exactly the opposite of starting in 

a marketing career with a brand. I 

understood quite early on what it was 

all about at source, and that’s also 

what I want to pay a tribute to in the 

book - how the Gypsies pick the roses 

in Bulgaria, how they boil the gum of 

labdanum in Andalusia, etc. 

Tina: What was your most memorable 

experience whilst writing the book - 

which part of your travels stands out 

most to you? 

Dominique: Well, 

it’s the first one and 

one of the last ones 

really. The first one is, 

as I said, discovering 

the boiling of the 

labdanum gum in 

Andalusia because 

it was truly amazing 

and there was a sense 

of a very specific 

community that 

dedicated itself to this 

in what were at the 

time, very primitive 

conditions, so that 

taught me a lot. One of 

my latest experiences 

was absolutely 

amazing too! This 

was when I went 

with Zahra Guelle- 

Osman to Somaliland 

and climbed the cliffs where the 

frankincense trees hide. Having 

the experience of tapping the 

frankincense tree with a local tapper 

and having the aroma blown by the 

wind to my nose - that is my last 

chapter and remains something that I 

never really recovered from. 

Tina: In your childhood, do you recall 

having any aspirations to enter into 

the industry or did you want to do 

something completely different? 

Dominique: I open the book by 

saying that for each one of us there 

is a connection between perfumes 

and childhood, we all have some 

specific memories. I tell the story 

of my childhood connection. We 

were living by a forest, and in the 

springtime the forest was full of lily of 

the valley and my mother at that time 

was wearing Diorissimo which really

WORLD 9 

PERU BALSAM TAPPER 

in Salvador 

smells intensely of lily of the valley. 

There was this connection between 

my own experience in the forest and 

the perfume of my mother and that 

built something very, very strong 

which never really left me - so that’s 

my own original connection with 

perfume. 

Tina: What a lovely memory! The 

book sounds like a great opportunity 

for a travelogue type of television 

documentary! 

Dominique: This has been said to me 

before! To my surprise the biggest 

difference with the English version, 

is unlike the French edition, they 

insisted that they had more pictures 

in there, so there is one black and 

white picture to illustrate each of the 

chapters. Each picture gives a little 

sense of what the chapter is about. 

Tina: Was there a particular moment 

that triggered the idea to write the 

book? And how long did it take you 

to write? 

Dominique: It’s a very good question! 

I think when I came back from 

Somaliland I was really shaken by my 

experience emotionally and I tried to 

tell the story to the people around 

me. A few of them said, “you know 

Dominique, you don’t have the 

SANDALWOOD STUMP 

in Australia 

right NOT to write this down!” and 

that started the whole process. It 

suddenly pushed me back 30 years to 

Andalusia and I realised there was a 

chain there. In all, it took two years to 

write. 

Tina: What was one of the most 

surprising things that you learned on 

your journey? 

Dominique: I loved discovering the 

reaction of perfumers when I brought 

them to the fields because they have 

a capacity of translating their smelling 

emotions into words that most of 

us don’t have. 

“IN SEARCH OF PERFUMES” BY DOMINIQUE ROQUES

10 

WORLD 

I could see how they were also very 

shaken by the experience of picking 

flowers and all of the journeys they 

were making in their minds - starting 

from a note that they knew from 

blotters in their labs and now, being 

in the field, how they reconsidered 

these notes differently - every one of 

them told me that they were changed 

when they came back. So in the 

book I have five chapters with five 

different perfumers, each time with an 

experience. 

Tina: What’s next? Will you write 

another book? Is there even more to 

discover? 

Dominique: My publisher seems 

happy about the success of the book 

in France so is kindly pushing me to 

write more. I have ideas to write about 

forests and trees, and that will of 

course include perfume trees. 

Tina: I’m really looking forward to 

reading it on my journey back home 

after the Vancouver Conference! 

Thank you very much Dominique, I’m 

sure the English version will be a great 

success too! 

The English version of Dominique’s 

book will be premiered at the IFEAT 

2022 Vancouver Conference and signed 

copies will be available to purchase 

from the NEZ exhibition stand. The 

book has already been published in 

seven foreign editions with three more 

to come, including an American edition 

next spring. 

“IN SEARCH OF PERFUMES” BY DOMINIQUE ROQUES

Rosa damascena 

The family-owned flavor and fragrance ingredient source since 1949. 

+1 973 748 8980 • www.berjeinc.com

12 

WORLD 

MY FAVOURITE 

YUZU OIL 

BY SUSUMU TOMINAGA 

MY FAVOURITE • YUZU OIL 

INTRODUCTION 

If you are fond of citrus notes, I 

would strongly recommend smelling 

yuzu oil, which has characteristics 

somewhat similar to green mandarin 

or grapefruit. The wonderful aroma 

can create an atmosphere that is 

refreshing, with its distinctive zesty 

note. 

Yuzu belongs to the Rutaceae family 

of plants and its botanical name is 

Citrus junos. Yuzu originated in the 

west part of Yangtze River in China 

and was brought to Japan around the 

8th century and spread throughout 

the country. 

Yuzu’s flavour is tart, resembling 

grapefruit, with overtones of sweeter 

mandarin orange. Like lemon, it is 

utilised in many other aspects of 

cuisine. Yuzu is now added to many 

craft beers, special ciders, and ales to 

produce a heady, citrus bouquet. 

USAGE 

Yuzu is rarely eaten on its own as a 

fruit due to its sour and bitter taste, 

though the juice and rind are used in 

many ways. The most common usage 

is to add two or three slices on the 

top of dishes, which sharpens one’s 

appetite with its aromatic smell and 

delights with its beautiful golden 

yellow colour. 

In Japan, bathing in Yuzu during the 

winter solstice is an ancient family 

custom dating back centuries. Yuzu 

fruits are floated in hot water, releasing 

their divine aroma. The orchidlike 

freshness inspires body and 

spirit during the cold of winter. This 

aromatherapeutic bath is also relished 

as a skin softener, to allay seasonal 

health challenges and produce 

satisfying warmth. Bathing with yuzu 

fruits, which many Japanese people 

enjoy, is thought to prevent colds and 

is a legendary traditional activity. 

Yuzu is a common cooking ingredient, 

and yuzu juice is added to a dipping 

sauce enjoyed with nabe, a traditional 

type of hotpot meal. In nabe cooking, 

seafood, meat, and a variety of 

vegetables such as leek, Chinese 

cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms, 

are simmered in a light broth. When 

ready, the food is dipped into a light 

sauce (called ponzu) containing soy 

sauce, vinegar, and soup stock, with a 

hint of yuzu flavour. 

Another unique usage of yuzu peel is 

a yuzu/pepper blend, which contains 

green chilli, yuzu peel, and salt, which 

complements any dish where a spicy 

afternote is desired. 

COMPONENTS AND 

PRODUCTION 

There are 350 different components 

to yuzu oil, with limonene accounting 

for about 70%. This is followed by 

γ-terpinene, β- phellandrene, and 

LANDSCAPE OF KOCHI 

where yuzu fruit is grown

WORLD 13 

YUZU TREES 

YUZU FLOWER 

in May 


YUZU FRUIT 

green in September 

YUZU FRUIT 

yellow in November 

INSPECTION 

when receiving the fruit 

EXTRACTION MACHINE 

to obtain juice and oil

14 

WORLD 


α-pinene. Compared with other citrus 

fruits, yuzu has a unique balsamic 

character not found in other citrus 

fruits. GC-MS analysis revealed Oct-1 

en-3-one, (Z)-Non-4-enal, and (E)- 

Dec-4-enal as components of yuzu, 

and 4-Methyl-4-mercaptopentan-2- 

one has tropical notes also found in 

grapefruit oil. 

Yuzu trees grow to about four metres 

high and beautiful white flowers 

bloom from May to June. 

Green yuzu are harvested in August, 

followed by yellow yuzu in November. 

The amount of yuzu fruits harvested 

annually is 21,000-23,000 metric 

tonnes, with 90% going to process. 

Over 50% of production is in the 

Kochi prefecture on Shikoku Island 

in southwest Japan. The Tokushima 

prefecture produces around 15% and 

the Emine prefecture produces 13%; 

both prefectures are also located on 

Shikoku Island. 

Yuzu trees are grown in terraced fields 

in the mountains, and the fruits are 

surrounded by thorns and are picked 

by hand. They are then delivered to 

factories where they are sorted and 

sent to the fresh food market. Yuzu 

oil is then produced by either hexane 

extraction or steam distillation, with an 

output of 10 metric tonnes per year. 

AVAILABILITY 

Although yuzu fruits have been 

available for a few hundred years, 

the availability of yuzu oil on the 

global market is relatively new. 

Yuzu oil is commonly used with 

juice in Japan, but its usage has 

expanded overseas after obtaining 

the following registrations: FEMA: 

4862 , CAS:233683-84-6, and CFR 

21CFR182.20. 

Though categorised as a citrus fruit, 

yuzu is unique and its scent is without 

comparison. 

CONCLUSION 

Although yuzu has been available as 

a fruit for many centuries, its usage is 

rather limited due to small available 

quantities of its essential oil. If the 

production and yield of oil increases 

significantly, yuzu would become the 

queen of citrus fruits, if not the king. 

I remember smelling yuzu when I 

was around ten years old, the golden 

yellow peels floating on the surface 

of soba noodles and releasing its 

distinctive aroma into my nose. 

The notes stayed in my mouth and 

blended beautifully with the soybased 

soba sauce. Being unfamiliar 

with its taste, the bitterness was 

unpleasant for a ten-year old boy. 

When I started to travel overseas, one 

of the habits I missed was taking a hot 

bath after a long day at work. We were 

not allowed to bring fresh yuzu fruits 

on our trips, but we put bath salts with 

yuzu aroma into the bathtub, which 

made me feel at home and release all 

my stress after a very long day at an 

Executive Committee meeting! 

I am excited to introduce the 

wonderful benefits of yuzu oil to 

fellow IFEAT members when we have 

an opportunity to meet in person at a 

Conference in the near future. 

In 

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18 

WORLD 

IN THE NEWS 

MR. GEEMON KORAH 

CHOSEN AS CEO 

OF THE YEAR 2022 

IFEAT Executive Committee’s 2nd Vice Chair, Mr. Geemon 

Korah, has been awarded ‘CEO of the year 2022’ by the 

Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India 

(ASSOCHAM) at the Leadership Conclave and Excellence 

Awards of ASSOCHAM. The event was held at Hotel Altair, 

Eco Centre in Kolkata on the 5th of August. 

Geemon is Director and CEO of Mane Kancor Ingredients 

Pvt Ltd., and was presented with the award in recognition 

of his initiatives in building the organisation and for his 

contributions to the growth and development of the food 

ingredients sector in India. 

The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of 

India (ASSOCHAM) is the country’s oldest apex chamber. 

It brings in actionable insights to strengthen the Indian 

ecosystem, leveraging its network of more than 450,000 

members. With a strong presence across states and 

key cities globally, ASSOCHAM has more than 400 

associations, federations, and regional chambers in its 

fold. 

The award adds to the impetus of the growth of Mane 

Kancor as a company with a vision and also as an 

enterprise that is steadfast in its sustainability goals. 

Congratulations to Geemon from the IFEAT Executive 

Committee, IFEAT Staff, and Consultants. 

IN THE NEWS 

PRADO CREATES 

PALETTE OF 

ODOURS TO 

MAKE SCENTS 

OF BRUEGHEL 

PAINTING 

The Puig perfume house set to work recreating the 

fragrances of The Sense of Smell, by Jan Brueghel the 

Elder and Rubens. 

Madrid gallery’s new exhibition will allow visitors to 

inhale fragrances of 10 items seen in The Sense of 

Smell. 

The 17th-century Italian cardinal Federico Borromeo 

was so impressed with Jan Brueghel the Elder’s work 

that he once wrote to the artist, declaring he could 

smell spring itself in the minute petals and leaves that 

bloomed from the Flemish master’s brush. 

Four hundred years later, those with less olfactory 

imaginations can head to the Prado in Madrid to fill their 

nostrils with the scents that suffuse Brueghel’s 1617-18 

painting The Sense of Smell. 

You can read the article here on The Guardian news 

website: https://bit.ly/3R87vTH 

QUEEN ELIZABETH II 

1926 - 2022

20 

WORLD 

IFEAT 

SOCIO–ECONOMIC REPORT 

ON CEDARWOOD OILS 

BY PETER GREENHALGH 

PART 2: INDIA, MOROCCO, CANADA, AND JAPAN* 

SOCIO-ECONOMIC REPORT ON CEDARWOOD OILS 

INTRODUCTION 

Cedarwood oil is one of the world’s 

most important essential oils, but as 

discussed in Part 1 (IFEATWORLD 

July 2022) the term “cedarwood 

oil” can be confusing. The most 

important essential oils in this group 

are produced by distilling different 

junipers and cypresses (Juniperus 

and Cupressus spp.) rather than from 

true cedar trees (genus Cedrus). The 

true cedar trees of the Cedrus spp are 

stately evergreen trees commonly 

divided into four species: 

• Cedrus atlantica or Atlas or 

Atlantic cedar from North Africa 

• C. brevifolia, the Cyprus cedar 

• C. deodara, the Himalayan or 

Indian cedar 

• C. libani, the cedar of Lebanon 

The most important commercial 

“cedarwood oils” are produced in 

China (from Cupressus spp.) and 

the USA with Texas and Virginian 

cedarwood oils (from the Juniperus 

spp.). These were discussed in Part 

1 along with a general overview of 

cedarwood oils and their uses and 

consumption. Also, in the previous 

edition of IFEATWORLD is Cathy 

Chen’s My Favourite: Chinese 

Cedarwood oil (Cupressus fundbris) 

and Firwood oil (Cunninghamia 

lancelata) which provides some 

detailed information on Chinese 

cedarwood and firwood oils. Part 2 

of this socio-economic report will 

concentrate on Indian, Moroccan, 

and Canadian cedarwood oils from 

Cedrus and Thuja along with some 

information on other related oils 

including hinoki oil from Japan. 

USES AND 

CONSUMPTION 

In India, Cedrus deodara oil has been 

shown to possess insecticidal and 

antifungal properties and to have

WORLD 21 

some potential for control of fungal 

deterioration of spices during storage. 

Indian cedarwood oil is invariably a 

by-product arising from its previous 

utilisation of cedar trees to produce 

timber products. Cedrus deodara 

was one of the most valuable Indian 

timbers used in producing railway 

sleepers and in beams, posts, and 

frames in construction work. It is also 

used for making pencils. The strong 

odour of the wood and its oily nature 

limits its use for indoor work. The oil 

is much favoured in Indian perfumery 

and Ayurvedic medicine, where it is 

used as an antihelminthic; decoctions 

of the wood being considered 

diaphoretic, diuretic, and carminative. 

The bark is astringent and used for 

fevers, diarrhoea, and dysentery, and 

the oleoresin and oil of the wood are 

used for the treatment of ulcers and 

skin diseases. 

Himalayan cedarwood oil is a yellowbrown 

oil when crude, but when 

redistilled the oil is a pale yellow 

and has the sweet-woody, balsamic 

characteristics, and many constituents 

in common with Atlas cedarwood 

oil, hence similar applications such 

as soap and medicinal products. 

The oil is used with other essential 

oils as a fixative and diluent in soap 

perfumes, sanitary supplies, and 

polishes and for masking odours 

in many other industrial products. 

The largest quantity of cedarwood 

oil is used in soap industries due to 

its odour, epidermic, and antiseptic 

properties. In India the second main 

use of this oil is to perfume agarbatti 

(incense sticks). Because it is not 

toxic to mammals and smells good, 

it is used in room sprayers in place 

of pyrethrum to control household 

insects. The oil has been found to 

be biologically active against the 

mosquito (Anopheles Stefani). A low 

concentration of cedarwood oil 

(0.4452%) has proved sufficient to 

knock down 50% of mosquitoes under 

laboratory conditions. Special grades 

of this oil are used for oil-immersion 

lenses and as a tissue-clearing agent 

in plant and animal histological work. 

Various research studies have been 

conducted in India on cedarwood 

oil. Thus, there are indications 

that some fractions have potent 

spasmolytic activity; the oil is an 

effective fungicide; it was found to 

be non-phytotoxic, non-systemic to 

paddy plants, and able to control the 

development of leaf spot disease 

in paddy; the oil controls the fungal 

deterioration of some spices during 

storage; the alcoholic extract of the 

stem was found to have anticancer 

properties. 

Cedrus atlantica oil from North Africa 

is widely used as an insect repellent; 

Turkish carpet shops are walled with 

cedarwood boards to deter moths. It 

is also used in local ethnobotanical 

medicine for a wide variety of 

purposes. The uses of cedarwood 

Atlas oil are mostly in woody and 

amber fragrances, soap perfumes, 

aromatherapy, and mildly medicinal 

products. It is only used in its own 

right as an ingredient. 

Thuja occidentalis L. – white cedar 

tree – is used to produce cedar leaf 

oil in Canada and northern USA. Thuja 

absolute and concrete, produced by 

solvent extraction of the fresh leaves 

and twigs, are used in perfumery for 

fresh herbal notes, and in masculine 

fragrances, etc. It is a common 

ingredient in pine and cedar blends 

which are used in room sprays, talc, 

and insecticides. It is a powerful 

sanitiser and repellent against 

unwanted insects. It is a component 

in embalming fluids, microscope slide 

slips, industrial cleaners, deodorants, 

pharmaceuticals, cleaning fluids, 

salves, liniments, perfumes, shoe 

polishes, and soaps. Perhaps its 

largest use is in the preparation of 

patent medicines, e.g., Vicks rub, a 

cold remedy. It is also used in the 

re-odourising of sawdust in “sawdust 

logs” or instant fire logs, another 

useful product made from waste. 

Alongside the oil, the tree has an 

extensive range of uses including 

building products, cladding, furniture, 

and as an ornamental conifer. 

In Japan, an essential oil is obtained 

from the needle-like leaves of 

the Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria 

japonica), which has an exceptionally 

good aroma with a “refreshing citrus 

scent”. The oil has been researched 

as a tool for stress management 

(Nakayama, 2020). Hinoki oil from 

Japan from Chamaecyparis obtusa 

is used for a variety of different 

practical things in and around the 

home. The wood oil can naturally kill 

bacteria, viruses, and fungus. It can be 

added to hardwood floor cleaners to 

prevent termites. It is added to bath 

and body skin care products and an 

extra benefit is that it is an effective 

antiseptic, with antifungal and antiviral 

actions, as well as being noted for 

treating rashes, cuts, abrasions, 

and minor skin irritations. It is used 

in Japanese forest bathing practice 

and in aromatherapy to soothe the 

senses and ease stress. The oil has 

a limited use in perfumery. The 

Japanese government has protected 

trees of this species since 1982. Hinoki 

is not just a tree but revered for its 

timber, decorative foliage, therapeutic 

benefits of the essential oil, and 

as a spiritual symbol. Hinoki is an 

institution. 

Major markets for cedarwood oils are 

the USA, China, Western Europe, India, 

and Japan. 

GROWTH AND 

PRODUCTION 

CHARACTERISTICS 

Quality 

Both the overall olfactory properties 

and the chemical composition 

of cedarwood oils are important 

quality characteristics. The olfactory 

properties will be assessed by some 

purchasers since they are vital for its 

use in fragrances, while its chemical 

composition is vital for use as a raw 

material in derivative manufacture. 

Commercial cedarwood oils are alkali 

washed and vacuum rectified from the 

crude steam distilled wood oil, to give 

oils of a very pale yellow colour. 

Cedarwood Atlas oil is a viscous paleyellow 

oil with a sweet woody odour 

with floral characteristics, and as such 

is different from the other main origins 

but resembling the Himalayan oil in 

having a high level of himachalanes 

rather than cedrenes. The oil blends 

well with other essential oils that are 

woody and floral. 

Himalayan cedarwood oil‘s main 

constituents are: 

• p-methyl acetophenyl acetate 

• 4-methy ∆3-tetraphydroacetophenone 

• α-himachalene 

• Iso-himachalene 

• β-himachalene 

• Cis- and trans-atlantone 

• Himachalol 

• Allo-himachalol 

• Longborneol and deodarone 

SOCIO-ECONOMIC REPORT ON CEDARWOOD OILS

22 

WORLD 


Higher fractions of Himalayan 

cedarwood oil are rich in atlantone 

content. 

Eastern white cedar leaf tree oil 

from Thuja occidentalis L.contains up 

to 65% of alpha and beta thujones. 

Other components include fenchone, 

sabinene, camphor, l-bornyl acetate, 

terpinen-4-ol, alpha pinene as 

well as camphene, p-cymene, 

fenchene, alpha fenchyl acetate, 

geranyl acetate, limonene, myrcene, 

borneol, valerianic acid, vitamin C, 

alpha terpinene, gamma terpinene, 

terpinolene, alpha terpinyl acetate, 

alpha thujene, delta cadinene, and 

delta cadinol. One source says 

that “leaf oil composition is often 

very different from wood but may 

contain the same types of chemical 

constituents”. 

Western red cedar leaf oil from 

Thuja plicata contains anti-insecticidal 

troplones, methyl thujate, and 

T-muurolol as major components. 

PROCESSING METHODS 

In India the oil is obtained from 

cedarwood stumps that have been 

in the ground for many years. The 

stumps are first chopped and 

then disintegrated to 1/4” mesh to 

1/8” mesh. A batch of 2 MT of this 

disintegrated material is fed into a still 

and steam is injected at 35 PSIG at 

the rate of 1,000 kg/hour for 12 hours, 

yielding 4-6% of crude oil. This oil is 

then rectified. Both cedarwood oil 

Himalayan crude and cedarwood oil 

Himalayan rectified are available in the 

market. 

In Canada, cedar leaf oil is produced 

by steam distillation of cedar leaves 

and twigs, using predominantly 

cedar hedge trimmings and leaves 

collected from the forest. Cedar 

garden clippings give a better yield 

than forest harvesting where the 

cedars compete with other species 

and the leaves are not as rich in oil. 

Also, greater care is given to cultivated 

cedar hedges, which invariably act as 

property borders or privacy screens. 

Climatic factors can affect yields 

considerably; heavy rain lowers yields 

because of the high water content 

of the leaves. Temperature impacts 

yields during the extraction process. 

The best weather for trimming cedar 

leaf is during warm days and cool 

nights. Extraction yields for cultivated 

cedar are 0.6% to 0.75% compared to 

0.4% to 0.5% for wild leaves. Distillers 

have developed cedar leaf collection 

systems to ensure timely collection 

and processing of the leaves. Hedge 

trimmings are usually picked up and 

processed within 24 hours. Great 

care is taken in handling the leaves 

to ensure they do not dry out. One 

source estimated that there may be as 

many as 75 distillation units with wide 

ranging capacities. These distilleries 

are not limited to cedar leaf oil but 

rather are used to distil a variety of oils. 

CANADA: 

pruning, preparation, and steam distillation of Thuja occidentalis 

Altas cedarwood oil is produced by 

steam distillation of both the sawdust 

obtained from wood processing 

as well as from the branches and 

roots collected in the forest by local 

communities. At the distillery the 

milling of roots and branches is 

undertaken. A small amount of solvent 

extraction is reported to take place to 

produce absolute. 

MAJOR PRODUCERS 

CANADA 

Canada has been producing 

cedarwood oils for over 100 years, but 

is still a relatively small but growing 

producer of a range of cedarwood 

oils, including Eastern white 

cedarwood oil, Western red cedar oil 

and Nootka oil. 

Eastern white cedar oil is sourced 

from the north-eastern part of 

Canada, throughout the Great Lakes 

region. It is a colourless to pale yellow 

oil obtained by steam distillation 

from the needles and twigs of the 

Thuja occidentalis tree, a member of 

the Cupressaceae family. This tree 

has scale-like leaves in contrast to 

the needle leaves found on Atlas 

and Lebanon cedars. The tree can 

reach 15-20 metres in height, with 

the foliage forming in flat sprays. 

The leaves and twigs are harvested 

between May and September with 

approximately 90% obtained from 

cultivated cedar hedge clippings and

WORLD 23 

10% from wild harvest. It is one of the 

longest living trees in Canada and 

the northern USA, living for several 

hundred years. It is known as the Tree 

of Life, in part due to its extensive 

medical and external uses by First 

Nations. The oil has a sharp, woody, 

camphoraceous, mentholated, fresh, 

green, and herbaceous profile and is 

used in fine fragrances and cosmetics. 

Annual production is estimated at 

approximately 50 MT which would 

require approximately 7,500 MT of 

hedge clippings to produce. 

Western red cedar oil is obtained 

by the steam distillation of the 

needles and twigs of Thuja plicata 

tree found in north-western Canada 

along the Pacific Coast. The tree is an 

evergreen coniferous member of the 

Cupressaceae family, which reaches 

heights of 30 to 70 metres, and is the 

largest tree in the Cypress family, and 

it can live for 800 years. The oil is a 

colourless to pale yellow liquid with a 

woody and aromatic scent and is used 

in fine fragrances and cosmetics. 

Nootka oil is obtained from the 

Nootka cypress (Chamaecyparis 

nootkatensis ‘Glauca’), a tall evergreen 

conifer growing on the west coast 

of Canada and the USA. It has a very 

long history with the Nootka tribes of 

Canada. The Nootka oil is also known 

as Canadian oil, yellow cypress oil, 

and Alaska cypress oil. The sawdust is 

distilled and gives a pleasant strong 

essential oil and the nootkatone 

provides a pleasant grapefruit note. 

The C.nootkatensis wood is collected 

and subjected to fractionation and 

then molecular distillation. The aroma 

is dry woody cedarwood, cumin spicy, 

and somewhat leathery, minty, and 

thyme herbal. 

MOROCCO 

Morocco produces Atlas cedarwood 

oil from trees in the Atlas Mountains. 

Volumes are relatively small; in the 

1980s annual production was estimated 

at less than 10 MT while current 

production is estimated at around 100 

MT. The oil is obtained from the tree 

Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) G. Manetti ex 

Carriere, believed to originate from the 

biblical “Cedar of Lebanon,” which is 

now a protected endangered species. 

While growing in the Atlas Mountains 

of Morocco and north-western Algeria, 

it is steam distilled exclusively in 

Morocco from the branches and roots 

as well as the wood, sawdust, and tree 

shavings from timber manufacturing. 

The trees can grow to a height of 65 

metres at elevations from 1,400 – 

2,500 metres, with a trunk diameter of 

1.5 – 2 metres. Atlas cedar covers an 

estimated 163,000 hectares in Morocco 

and is now a protected species. The 

trees are not cultivated and unlike in 

India there is limited extraction of the 

oil from tree roots or stumps. The oil is 

used without being further processed 

into derivatives. 

Harvesting takes place from March 

to November since during the winter 

months it is too cold in the Atlas 

Mountains. The cedarwood branches 

and roots are collected by cooperatives 

based in local communities near 

the growing areas. During the winter 

months the sawdust and other waste 

by-products from the cedarwood 

timber manufacturing sector are used 

for heating but at other periods it is 

distilled into oil. 

Atlas cedarwood oil is produced 

by steam distillation of the sawdust 

obtained from wood processing and 

from the roots and branches collected 

in the forest by local communities. 

In recent years the Moroccan 

Government’s Department of Forests 

and Water has regulated access to 

the forest resource, alongside training 

local communities and facilitating the 

development of cooperatives. The 

authorities launch calls for tenders 

to grant operating permits to “forest 

operators” (exploitants forestiers) and 

cooperatives. For some cooperatives, 

which are basically made up of 

rightful claimants, the authorities 

allocate some plots to them by 

mutual agreement. In addition, the 

authorities involve them in monitoring 

work in the forest against fires or 

planting new trees while paying 

them for this work, or by deducting 

the corresponding amount from 

the amounts they must pay for the 

exploitation of the allocated plots. 

The cooperatives and the operators 

cut the trees considered dead and 

sometimes remove some trees to 

make room for those left under 

the supervision of the authorities. 

Only farms have the licence to cut 

trunks that they bring back from 

the forest or that are sold to them 


24 

WORLD 

MOROCCO: 

Cedrus atlantica and steam distillation. 


by the cooperatives, either directly 

or through calls for tenders. Trunk 

cutting can only take place in sawmills 

approved by the authorities. 

Distillers turn to sawmills to get 

sawdust and waste to process 

in their distilleries to produce oil. 

Transportation of the wood to the 

distillery, as well as the oil from 

the distillery, requires a “Permit de 

Colportage de Produits Forestiers 

Issus Des Forets De L’Etat ou 

Soumises au Regime Forestier”. At 

the distillery the milling of roots 

and branches is undertaken and 

steam distilled and then the oil is 

transported to the exporter. Since the 

Moroccan Government initiated this 

procedure, the forest resource has 

become more sustainable. The local 

communities are more willing to help 

protect the forest resource, in part 

because they are benefitting through 

employment and income creation. 

Another source of cedarwood oil is 

the steam distillation of sawdust and 

trunk shavings produced as a byproduct 

from the cedarwood furniture 

manufacturing industry. 

INDIA 

Himalayan cedarwood oil is obtained 

from Cedrus deodara (Roxb, ex D. Don) 

G. Don (ISO 4720) a Pinaceae tree, 

which reaches heights of 50 metres - 

or even more. It grows at high altitude 

(1,650 – 2,400 metres) on the slopes 

of the Himalayan Mountains, in India, 

Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In India 

the tree is found in Jammu, Kashmir, 

Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand 

states. In the past, a lot of trees 

were cut for various products when 

timber extraction was legal and no 

one took out the roots and stumps, 

which take 60 – 100 years to decay. 

Cedarwood used to be a major source 

of railway sleepers for the extensive 

Indian railway system but this was 

discontinued in the early 1980s. 

Himalayan cedarwood oil is distilled 

from the roots and stumps left after 

the cutting of trees for both legal 

and illegal timber extraction in the 

past or because of natural calamities. 

While the essential oil is found in the 

whole of the plant, for commercial 

reasons the oil is only distilled from 

the stumps and roots. The stumps 

and roots are removed in a scientific 

manner following agreement with the 

State Governments. The cedarwood 

forests are now protected from any 

unauthorised use and it is illegal to cut 

trees. Also, distillation from the leaves 

and bark is not permitted as it affects 

the growth of the plant. 

Commercial production of cedarwood 

oil began in 1957 at the Drug 

Research Laboratory Factory at 

Srinagar, Kashmir. Consumption grew 

rapidly within India, where it found 

applications in the perfumery and 

soap industries as an alternative 

to imported American Virginian 

cedarwood oil, and an export market 

developed. Up until 1980 the oil 

was produced mainly from waste 

material from the pencil and furniture 

industry. However, the emergence of 

large-scale illegal harvesting of trees 

resulted in the imposition of controls 

in the forest areas. The State Forest 

Departments introduced a scheme 

whereby private companies could 

harvest the tree roots remaining 

from prior tree felling, provided that 

the distillation company replanted 

the area with many saplings. If one 

stump is removed and three or four 

new saplings are planted then a 

new forest will come up in 20 years. 

Otherwise, it could take 60 - 100 years 

for the roots and stumps to decay. 

In addition, if the stumps were left 

then pathogens would develop which 

attacked both new germinating and 

old plants. Thus, removal of stumps 

helps protect forest hygiene and 

helps in germinating new trees. The 

distillation of the stumps makes their 

removal a viable proposition and 

facilitates the development of new 

forests and the local environment. In 

addition, the residues left following 

distillation are used by farmers 

as fertilisers in their fields. The 

government’s policy not only led to 

the regeneration of many forest areas 

but also provided additional income 

to distillers, and created employment

WORLD 25 

as well as government revenues. All 

the distillation companies are in the 

private sector. 

Annual cedarwood oil production 

in the late 1980s was estimated at 

approximately 25 MT, almost all of 

which was consumed domestically. 

Later data show larger levels of 

production. Thus, during 2010 – 11 

and 2011 – 12 some 200 MT (valued 

at US$1.2 million) and 150 MT 

respectively was produced with a 

target for 2012 – 13 of 300 – 400 MT as 

the Government of Himachal Pradesh 

had entered into an agreement 

with six industries for 6,000 MT of 

raw material, and units in Jammu 

and Kashmir were also getting raw 

material. Annual production of Indian 

cedarwood oil since 2018 has been 

approximately 600 – 700 MT. In 2020 

INDIA 

Himalayan cedarwood distillation unit 

an estimated 600 MT of cedarwood 

oil was produced valued at US$ 

7.3 million, and in 2019/20 Indian 

Himalayan cedarwood oil exports 

totalled 130 MT. This compares with 

exports of 12 MT in 2009 – 10, 20 MT 

in 2010 – 11, and 30 MT during 2011 

– 12. The main export markets for 

Himalayan cedarwood oil included the 

USA, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, 

the EU, Malaysia, and Singapore. 


INDIA: 

Cedrus deodata trees, logs and boiler

ifeat.org 

conference@ifeat.org 

Ifeat Berlin 23 ad 210x297 27622.indd 1 28/06/2022 10:16

WORLD 27 

JAPAN 

Cedars and conifers are grown 

extensively in Japan, although 

cedarwood oil production is very 

small. Large numbers of cedar were 

planted in many regions after World 

War II mainly for use as timber and 

wind breaks. Nakayama (2020) 

outlines the various cedars grown 

in Japan and some of their olfactory 

properties. The planted forests 

included Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria 

japonica) and various branded cedars, 

many of which require substantial 

maintenance. Local government 

groups and forest associations are 

promoting the benefits of these trees 

including use as an essential oil, the 

development of cedar plate ware 

and the use of woodchip powder in 

food. In addition, the leaves are dried 

and used for incense sticks, though 

its use has decreased as the number 

of workers collecting branches and 

leaves has shrunk due to the timeintensive 

process of forest harvesting. 

Japanese cedar has a distinctive 

aroma and is used to scent sake via 

storage of this alcoholic beverage in 

cedar barrels. 

Efforts are continuing to be made to 

extract essential oil from Japanese 

cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) utilising 

branches and leaves from forest 

thinning, which the landowners 

carry out of the forest 

along with the timber. 

Extraction of the cedar 

oil from the sawdust 

is difficult because 

of low yields. Also, 

essential oils are 

extracted from 

popular Japanese cypress trees 

namely hinoki (Chamaecyparis 

obtuse) and hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata) 

using waste from timber processing 

operations. Hinoki, means “white 

cedar.” A different connotation is “fire 

tree” as it is still utilised to make fire 

through friction in traditional Shinto 

shrines. Production of hinoki oil is 

very small but distillery capacity has 

been increased along with improved 

quality control. 

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC 

CHARACTERISTICS 

India 

An estimated 400 – 500 local people 

are employed in the harvesting 

and production of cedarwood oil 

and their families are provided with 

health care, education, and water 

purification. In addition, there are 

other ancillary industries and 

services involved that benefit. As 

outlined earlier, government policies 

have helped to generate replanting 

of cedarwood and the creation of 

an economic resource to generate 

future incomes, employment, 

and government revenues. 

JAPAN: 

Hinoki branches and log 


2 10:16

28 

WORLD 


Morocco 

The tree has been important in 

the socio-economy of Morocco, 

being good for furniture making. In 

addition, the harvesting and distilling 

of cedarwood oil generates income 

in the rural economy. No data were 

available on employment and income 

generated. 

ENVIRONMENTAL 

AND SUSTAINABILITY 

INITIATIVES 

Economic utilisation of a renewable 

resource is usually beneficial but 

considerable care needs to be 

taken. For example, East Africa 

used to be an important 

source of cedarwood oil but 

over-exploitation of the wild 

resource has led to negligible 

production. Ideally exploitation 

of wild trees is only 

warranted where there 

is a high degree of 

natural regeneration 

or where the plant 

is considered 

a weed. In 

these cases, 

some form 

of controlled, semi-formal cultivation 

might be possible. Utilisation of trees 

to produce various cedarwood oils is 

increasingly subject to government 

controls to minimise over-exploitation. 

Canadian oil producers used to 

harvest the leaves of Thuja occidentalis 

directly from the boreal forest. Today 

the cedar tree has become a very 

popular ornamental shrub in Canadian 

gardens. These shrubs require yearly 

trimming to ensure optimal growth. 

Instead of sending tonnes of cedar leaf 

clippings to landfills, high quality oils 

can be made from these trimmings. 

Recycled cedar leaf oil is a wastefree, 

sustainable and non-destructive 

process. Every part of the cedar leaf 

clipping is used, including the dregs of 

the extraction process. 

Alongside the direct economic 

and social benefits generated by 

the sector, there are important 

environmental and sustainability 

contributions. Increasingly initiatives 

are being undertaken in the sector 

facilitating greater sustainability and 

assisting in combating climate change. 

Many cedarwood oils are obtained 

from wild trees but little information 

is published on the extent to which 

oil production may have affected 

the natural resource. For a variety of 

reasons, e.g., population growth, 

urbanisation, over-exploitation 

and deforestation, the 

available resource has 

declined. A prime example 

is Kenya where overexploitation 

of the timber 

and oil has led to a serious depletion 

of the wild trees. 

Some cedarwoods are cited under 

CITES (the Convention on International 

Trade in Endangered Species). These 

include Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) 

from Algeria and Morocco marked as 

“endangered,” Spanish cedar (Cedrela 

odorata) from many origins marked 

as “vulnerable,” Port Orford cedar 

(Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) marked 

as “near threatened,” and Virginian and 

Himalayan cedars marked as being of 

“least concern.” 

Atlas cedarwood is on the 

International Union for the 

Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 

Red List of Threatened Species as 

endangered. With some estimates 

reporting declines of up to 75% 

natural occupancy in recent years. 

Drought has also led to further 

declines and it is likely to continue 

if the regional climate continues to 

become more arid. Cedarwood is 

slow-growing, which means once the 

wild population has been diminished 

it takes decades, if not centuries, to 

regrow. With the boom in demand for 

natural products for the aromatherapy 

and natural markets a heavy demand 

has been placed on the supply to 

meet the needs of today’s consumers. 

This has added strain on an already 

fragile species. 

India 

As outlined in the India section above, 

the regulation of cedarwood felling, 

as well as the extraction of tree 

stumps and roots to extract oil, has 

led to considerable environmental 

benefits alongside the economic 

benefits of employment and income 

creation. The environmental benefits 

include the generation of new forests 

and all the benefits that this creates, 

as well as a reduction in pathogens 

and creation of residues for use as 

fertiliser. 

Morocco 

Cedarwood Atlas trees are well 

conserved in specific areas of 

parkland, but the ecosystem is

WORLD 29 

very fragile and the margins are 

subject to degradation by erosion, 

demineralisation, dehydration, 

desertification, etc. resulting in 

areas of complete desolation. 

Various organisations in Morocco 

are reported to be doing all they 

can in very difficult circumstances 

to conserve the rich biodiversity of 

plants in Morocco. In addition, the 

cedarwood forests provide habitat for 

the endangered Barbary macaque. 

Canada 

Estimates of the employment 

generated are not available. 

Alongside the benefits from utilising 

a renewable resource, the fact that 

the majority of cedarwood oil is 

obtained from hedge trimmings 

that would otherwise go into 

landfill should also be considered. 

Gardeners cooperate in the recycling 

process by gathering their trimmings 

for collection and in return can obtain 

free of charge the residues from 

the extraction process. This mulch 

makes very good organic fertiliser 

and insect repellent for the soil as 

well as providing a thermal shield 

to keep the soil cool and restrict 

weed growth. The mulch is also sold 

to garden centres. In 2008 it was 

estimated that one Canadian distiller 

saved the local authority it served 

between $61 and $86 per tonne of 

leaves that would otherwise have 

ended up in landfill or an estimated 

total of $122,000 – $172,000 a year 

in garbage collection fees, as well 

as the savings associated with the 

unused area in the landfill. 

SOME CONCLUDING 

REMARKS 

There are dozens of tree species that 

have the common name “cedar” and 

they cover hundreds of thousands of 

hectares of the world’s surface. Trees 

are vital for our planet, providing 

oxygen, storing carbon and slowing 

the rate of global warming, stabilising 

soil and reducing flooding, lowering 

temperatures, providing a habitat 

for wildlife, and providing timber 

and other materials for a wide range 

of economic uses. It is critical that 

they are preserved and sustainably 

managed. The production of essential 

oils is one of the ways that trees can 

be utilised to provide an economic 

resource to facilitate the sustainable 

management of the resource. 

Cedarwood oils are some of the 

world’s most important essential 

oils and produced in a diverse range 

of countries. Three main genera, 

namely Cedrus, Cupressus and 

Juniperus spp. account for a large 

proportion of commercial cedarwood 

oils, alongside some other minor 

sources. Sadly, information and data 

on the socio-economic contribution 

of cedarwood oils to these 

economies is limited. Nevertheless, 

they provide important sources of 

income and employment, as well as 

export earnings, in the various rural 

communities where various types of 

cedarwood and cedar leaf oils are 

produced. This includes Canada, 

China, India, Morocco, and the 

USA. The raw material is invariably 

harvested from the wild. In the two 

major producing countries of China 

and the USA, as well as Canada – the 

continued availability of raw material 

is not of major concern. However, 

in Kenya the resource has become 

almost totally depleted. 

Alongside the direct economic 

and social benefits generated by 

the sector there are also important 

environmental and sustainability 

contributions. Increasingly initiatives 

are being undertaken in the sector 

facilitating greater sustainability 

and assisting in combating climate 

change. In both India and Morocco 

the authorities have introduced 

measures to protect cedarwood from 

total eradication. In Morocco a quota 

is set for how many trees can be 

felled each year and only dead trees 

can be taken from the forest. New 

plantations are also being introduced 

to re-grow the cedarwood forest 

and early indications are promising. 

In India initiatives to replant cedar 

have been underway much longer 

and are proving to be successful. 

Nevertheless, it is so important to 

source sustainability, with producers 

and consumers being more mindful 

of the damaging effects of the 

products they consume. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Boucard, Gueric and Garrick (2016) 

Recent advances in the steam 

distillation of essential oils, 

Texarome, USA. 

Burfield, Tony (2002) Cedarwood Oils 

Part 1,2, and 3 Aromatherapy Times, 

Vol 1 No.55 pp14-15 Winter 2002, 

No.56 pp14-16 Spring 2003, No.57 pp 

16-18 Summer 2003. 

Chen, Doing Xia Cathy (2006) Status 

and development of China’s aroma 

chemicals manufacturing industry 

paper presented at the IFEAT 

international Conference in Budapest, 

30 October 2006 pp. 

FAO (1995) Non-Wood Forest 

Products: Flavours and fragrances of 

plant origin, by JJW Coppen Chap. 10 

Rome. 

Greenhalgh, Peter (2017) IFEAT USA 

Study Tour 13th – 21st August 2016 

pp. iv + 131. 

Lawrence, B.M. (1980) Cedarwood oil. 

Perfumer and Flavorist, 5(3), 63. 

Lawrence, Brian M (1976-2017). 

Essential oils. Carol Stream, IL: 

Allured Publishing Corporation, USA. 

Mohan, Surendar (2011) Natural 

essential oils from the western 

Himalayas: their role in fragrances 

and flavours, quality parameters, 

sustainability, and conservation. Paper 

presented at the IFEAT international 

Conference in Singapore, 4 - 8 

November 2012 pp.63-81. 

Mike Milchard et al (2019) Application 

of Gas-Liquid Chromatography to the 

Analysis of Essential Oils: Fingerprint 

GLC of selected Texas, Virginia, China, 

Atlas and Himalaya cedarwood 

essential oils intended for REACH 

registration. Perfumer & Flavorist 

November 2019 pp. 30 - 42. 

Nakayama, Hiro (2020) The Olfactory 

Power of Japanese Cedar, Perfumer 

and Flavorist January 2020 pp. 34 - 37. 

Pierre Trahan (2008) Cedarleaf 

Oil from Thuja Occidentalis IFEAT 

Montreal Conference September - 

October 2008 pp. 199 – 204. 

Ramakant Harlalka (2005) Essential 

Oils from India’s Forestry Sector 

IFEAT Cochin Conference October 

2005 pp.32 - 37. 

Ultra International BV (2018) Healing 

With Hinoki/Scents of Healing Market 

Report Spring 2018. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

IFEAT would like to acknowledge 

the information and photos provided 

on India by Surender Mohan of 

Natural Biotech Products, the largest 

producer of Himalayan cedarwood 

oil; Morocco by Amine Bennani of 

Santis SARL and Jalal Charaf of 

Atlassence; Canada by Eloi Zayat 

and Mikael Zayat; Japan by Geoffrey 

Henrotte of HinokiLab Co., Ltd. 


30 

WORLD 

OBITUARY 

JOSÉ LUIS 

CUTRALE SR. 

We were saddened 

to hear the news 

that José Luis 

Cutrale Sr. has 

passed away. José 

Luis was a pioneer 

and leader in 

orange processing 

in Brazil and Florida 

and gave an IFEAT 

Medal Lecture at 

the Buenos Aires 

Conference in 

November 2001. 

We are grateful 

for the support the 

Cutrale company 

has given IFEAT 

over the years. 

FRAGRANCE 

FORUM 2022 

SCENTS OF IDENTITY: 

HOW OUR SENSE OF 

SMELL DEFINES US 

IFRA UK’s Fragrance Forum 2022 will take place on 

Thursday 20th October 2022, from 10:45 – 16:45 (including 

refreshments and lunch) at The Royal Institution, 21 

Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BS. 

Results from the National Smell Survey will be revealed 

at this event. IFRA UK has teamed up with YouGov to 

explore what the public’s perception of smell is, how smells 

connect with our memory and emotions, whether peoples’ 

sense of smell has changed over time and what our 

favourite smells are. 

To find out more and to register, please visit: 

https://site.evenium.net/ff2022 

IFEAT VANCOUVER CONFERENCE EXHIBITORS 

IFEAT VANCOUVER 

CONFERENCE EXHIBITORS 

Agrumaria Reggina 

Anhui Primechem Co. Ltd. 

Aromáticas Zalabí 

Ashapura Aromas Pvt. Ltd. 

Borregaard 

Camlin Fine Sciences Limited 

Crystals Drop Inc. 

Encee Aromatics P Limited 

Ess-oil ltD, Rwanda 

FRICKE Abfülltechnik GmbH & Co. KG 

Gem Aromatics Private Limited 

Gupta Aromatics Pvt Ltd 

H J Arochem Private Limited 

Indo-GSP Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. 

Jayshree Aromatics Private Limited 

John Kellys (London) Ltd 

Mamta Polycoats 

Oqema 

Petani Global 

Prakash Chemicals International Pvt. Ltd. 

Quintis Sandalwood 

Sirona Jsc 

TMV Natural Oils & Extracts Pvt. Ltd. 

Tournaire 

Triglav-Edelvais 

Vimal Intertrade 

Younis Aroma

NEW IFEAT MEMBERS 

Below is a list of new IFEAT Members who had joined by 26th August 2022 

Quality Flavours Export 

Prem Nagar Industrial Estate, Kanth Road, Moradabad, UP, 244001, India 

Contact: Mr. Rishik Gupta 

Email: rishik.gupta@qualityflavoursexport.com 

Web: www.qualityflavoursexport.com 

Quality Flavours Export established in 1992, has its own fields of Mentha 

arvensis and Mentha piperita, under the guidance of Mr. Rajeev Kr. Gupta, 

a pioneer in the mint industry. 

Samagi Organics (Pvt) Ltd. 

42 A, Matara Road, Akuressa, Sri Lanka 

Contact: Ms Vidushika Bodhipakshau 

Email: vidushika@samagiorganics.com 

Contact: Mr Leel Prasanna 

Email: leel@samagiorganics.com 

Web: www.samagiorganics.com 

Samagi Organics Pvt Ltd specialises in producing and exporting conventional and 

organic essential oils - Ceylon cinnamon bark oil, Ceylon cinnamon leaf oil etc. 

Seluz Kimya Kozmetik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. 

Selimpaşa Yeni Sanayi Bölgesi 6043 sk. No:6 34570 Selimpaşa Silivri, 

İstanbul, Turkey 

Contact: Mr Ilker Agar 

Email: ilker.agar@seluz.com 

Contact: Ms Burcu Peker 

Email: Burcu.peker@seluz.com 

Contact: Ms Esra Tatlisu 

Email: esra.tatlisu@seluz.com 

Web: www.seluz.com 

Inspired by gifts of nature and cultural richness at the meeting point of Asia and 

Europe, Seluz creates fragrances/flavours with the motto “Created in Istanbul”. 

Ampak Company, Inc. 

1890 Palmer Avenue suite 203, Larchmont NY 10538, USA 

Contact: Mr Arpan Parikh 

Email: Arpan@ampakcompany.com 

Contact: Ms Stella Brewer 

Email: sbrewer@ampakcompany.com 

Web: www.ampakcompany.com 

AMPAK Company is a diverse solutions partner in the global sourcing of high-quality 

ethical ingredients used in a wide range of products across key industries. 

TRINTERNATIONAL, INC. 

22817 102nd Place West, Edmonds, WA 98020, USA 

Contact: Ms Jennifer A. Calvery 

Email: jennifer.calvery@trichemicals.com 

Web: www.trichemicals.com 

TRI is one of the largest women-owned distributors of raw materials in 

North America, committed to solving sourcing challenges and ensuring 

your supply chain diversification. 

Citrusvil S.A. 

Ruta 302, km 7 C.P: T4178XAX, CEVIL POZO, TUCUMAN, Argentina 

Contact: Mr Alex Nolte 

Email: anolte@citrusvil.com.ar 

Contact: Ms Lucia Mariela Carlo 

Email: lcarlo@citrusvil.com.ar 

Web: www.grupolucci.com.ar 

Established in the 1970s, Citrusvil is a leading company in the global market 

dedicated to the production, processing, and commercialisation of lemons 

and their derivatives. Our philosophy is based on achieving excellence and 

meeting the needs of our clients through sustainable processes. 

THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ESSENTIAL OILS AND AROMA TRADES LIMITED 

IFEAT c/o TC Group, Level 1, Devonshire House, One Mayfair Place, London W1J 8AJ 

T: +44 (0) 1707 245862 | E: secretariat@ifeat.org | www.ifeat.org | www.facebook.com/IFEAT.ORG 

Editorial & Advertising enquiries: Tina Hotchin. E: ifeatworld@ifeat.org 

Registered in England & Wales with liability limited by guarantee under Company no. 01369368. © IFEAT. All rights reserved. 

No part of this publication may be copied, stored, published or in any way reproduced without the prior written consent of IFEAT. 

Companies are reminded that the IFEAT logo can only be used (on websites and email signatures) by fully paid-up IFEAT Members. 

A Fitzpatrick Design 

IFEATWORLD is printed by the Pureprint Group 

on sustainably sourced paper certified by FSC ® 

and Carbon Balanced with the World Land Trust

IFEATWORLD October 2022

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