Lazzlo Somogyi, Akihiro Kishi
Flavors and Fragrances: Specialty Chemicals Update Program Dec 2001.
http://scup.sric.sri.com/Public/Reports/FLAVO000/Abstract.html

While it is estimated that the dollar volume of the F&F business has increased more than tenfold since the early 1950s, the industry experienced its fastest growth, a doubling in size, during the 1980-1989 decade. At the same time, the industry has restructured and about fifteen large companies (over $100 million in annual sales) have emerged as the dominant players in the F&F industry worldwide. Today, these companies operate on a multinational level and account for approximately two-thirds of F&F product turnover worldwide. For example, they provide virtually all of the product innovations and creative developments that are associated with the launch of fine fragrances anywhere. This concentration into fewer large companies is continuing, although the pace has subsided in recent years, mainly because target companies for acquisition have become scarce. (Lazzlo Somogyi, Akihiro Kishi Flavors and Fragrances: Specialty Chemicals

Scented Products Education and Information Association of Canada: SPEIAC Position on Asthma and Allergies: Role Of Scented Products in Asthma and Allergies
http://www.scentedproducts.on.ca/asthmapositioncanada.htm

There is a strong association between sensitization to allergens and asthma. Children with allergies are at increased risk of developing asthma. Consequently, allergen exposure should be considered in the treatment of asthma. The most significant allergens appear to be those that are inhaled. While strong odours and scented products (among many other things) may act as an irritant to trigger an asthmatic attack, they do not cause asthma - the predisposition to bronchial inflammation and swelling is a pre-existing condition.

Both allergic reactions and asthma, can be aggravated by strong smells which can act as a non-specific irritant to the inflamed airways of the sufferer. However, what is an irritant or trigger for one person may not be for another so it is essential to know which irritants and/or triggers create a problem for an individual and avoid them.

Furthermore, one must be careful not to confuse dislikes with diseases. Everyone has personal preferences but likes and dislikes should not dictate what the rest of society can or cannot do. Fragrances have been enjoyed for thousands of years and contribute to people's individuality, self-esteem and personal hygiene. We believe people should be considerate about their fragrance use, and should follow the guidelines of remaining in their own "scent circle".

Robert R. Calkin, J. Stephen Jellinek; Perfumery: Practice andPrinciples: pg 85-86; John Wiley & Sons, Inc 1994

During the past 20 years there has been a gradual move away from this style of perfumery toward a new generation of perfumes based on a quite different type of structure, a style very much associated with the work of Sophia Grojsman. In this comparatively few materials, sometimes as few as four or five, are used in a simple accord which represents up to 80% of the formula. Around this simple structure are arranged a number of other materials including bases and naturals, which provide richness and complexity necessary to complete the identity of the perfume. Perfumes created in this way may lack something of the aesthetic quality of earlier perfumes but have the advantage of remaining more-or-less unchanged in odor from their initial impact until after many hours on the skin.

A typical example of such a perfume is Tresor, in which 80% of the formula is made up of four ingredients: methyl ionone, Iso E super, Hedione, and Galaxolide, all materials seem to lend themselves particularly well to this type of formulation. Frequently in such perfumes the traditional fresh top note is entirely missing, being replaced by trace amounts of intensely powerful materials.)

Robert R. Calkin, J. Stephen Jellinek; Perfumery: Practice and Principles: pg 152-153; John Wiley & Sons, Inc 1994

Impact refers to the efficacy of a perfume during the first moments of product experience, for example, when sniffing at the bottle or applying the product to the skin. Diffusion is a measure of the distance over which the fragrance is noticeable soon after application. High diffusion is desirable, for example, in the case of a bath foam or a dishwashing detergent where the consumer often looks for an immeiate burst of scent. Tenacity refers to the long- term effectiveness of the fragrance in the perfumed product (as in a soap bar or an extended action room freshener) or on the surface to which the product has been applied, for example, upon the skin after use of a toilet soap. In former days it was believed that tenacity dependent upon the use of so-called fixatives (evaporation-retarding agents) in composing a perfume, today the opinion .pervails that it is simply the resultant of the tenacity of the individual odorants used (Jellinek 1978). Substantivity refers to the ability of a perfume or a perfume material, applied in a diluted dispersion in water, to attach itself to a solid surface such as the skin (in the case of toilet soap and bath and shower products ), the hair (in shampoos and conditioners ), or textile fibers (in detergents and fabric softeners). It may refer also to their ability to stay on the surface when this is moistened ( as in deodorants or waterproof sun protection products ). Volume is the effectiveness over distance, some time after application. The difference between tenacity and volume often lies at the root of misunderstandings between the perfumer and the client. The perfumer, accustomed to examining fragrances at close range, measures the lasting power of his or her creations by their tenacity; the consumer and the marketing manager look for volume.

Additional Links to Resources

http://www.leffingwell.com - Leffingwell & Associates a comprehensive site on the fragrance and flavors industry

http://www.perfumersworld.com - perfumery site

http://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/ - listing of raw materials and other information regarding perfumery

http://www.ifraorg.org - International Fragrance Association - part of the fragrance industry self-regulatory structure

http://www.ctfa.org - Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association