Is Licorice Flower natural or synthetic?

A fantasy or concept note, not a single material.

Licorice Flower

AccordPOPULAR & WEIRDfloral · sweet · gourmand

HeartPyramid

—Strength

—Tenacity

4Origins

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Specimen

Licorice Flower perfume ingredient — Heart

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Fantasy/Concept

Definition

Licorice flower relates to Glycyrrhiza glabra, the licorice plant, a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae whose flowers are purple to pale whitish blue.

FLORAL SWEET WARM

Type: Accord
Olfactive family: Florals
Subfamily: Classic florals
Cluster: Classic florals
Source: Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), a plant of the bean family Fabaceae

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

Producing countries

Turkey Greece Iran Iraq

Scent

The scent of the root comes from a complex and variable combination of compounds, of which anethole is some 3% of total volatiles. Anethole, a colorless, fragrant and mildly volatile liquid, contributes a large component of the odor of anise, fennel, liquorice, magnolia blossoms and star anise.

In raw licorice, fifty aroma-active compounds were located, and 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one, γ-nonalactone and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde showed the highest flavor dilution factor, 1024. An aqueous mixture of 39 odorants in their natural concentrations gave an aroma very similar to that of raw licorice.

In PREMIEREPEAU

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The Full Story

The plant

Licorice, also spelled liquorice, is the common name of Glycyrrhiza glabra, a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae. The plant is an herbaceous perennial legume native to West Asia, Tropical Asia, North Africa and Southern Europe. It grows to 1 metre in height and bears its flowers in a loose inflorescence.

The root

A sweet, aromatic flavouring is extracted from the root. Glycyrrhizin is the chief sweet-tasting constituent of the root, and structurally it is a saponin. The scent of the root comes from a complex and variable combination of compounds, of which anethole is some 3% of total volatiles. Anethole contributes a large component of the odor and flavor of anise, fennel, anise myrtle, liquorice, magnolia blossoms and star anise.

Flavour and food uses

Liquorice is used as a flavouring in confectionery, tobacco, beverages and pharmaceuticals. Licorice extract (glycyrrhizin) is approved in the United States, in specified amounts, as a flavor and aroma in manufactured foods, beverages, candies, dietary supplements and seasonings.

History

The genus name comes from the Greek glykyrrhiza, literally 'sweet root'. Licorice has been used in herbal and traditional medicine in both Eastern and Western cultures dating back to beyond 4000 BC. The early Egyptians and Assyrians are known to have cultivated the 'sweet root'.

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Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Glycyrrhizin is obtained as an extract from licorice root after maceration and boiling in water.

Formula: Key compound in root: glycyrrhizin (C₄₂H₆₂O₁₆, CAS 1405-86-3)
Botanical: Glycyrrhiza glabra
Appearance: Purple to pale whitish blue flowers

IFRA status

See note

No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)