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Sweet Potato

Q: Is Sweet Potato natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: No extraction. Reconstructed from maltol, vanillin, furfural, and earthy modifiers..

FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND NUTS / sweet · earthy · warm

Sweet Potato

Category	FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND NUTS
Subcategory	sweet · earthy · warm
Origin
Volatility	Base Note
Botanical	Ipomoea batatas
Appearance	Orange to purple tuberous root; in perfumery, a recreated gourmand-earthy accord
Odor Strength	Medium
Producing Countries	Central America, China, South America, Sub-Saharan Africa
Pyramid	Base

Warm, caramelized, starchy-sweet. Roasted sweet potato has deep maltol-vanillin sweetness from enzymatic conversion of starch to sugar during slow cooking.

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Warm, caramelized, starchy-sweet. Maltol warmth, vanillin depth, and earthy undertone absent from pure sugar. A humble, comforting sweetness grounded in earth.

Evolution over time

Immediately

Warm starchy-sweet, faintly caramelized

After a few hours

Maltol-vanillin warmth, earthy

After a few days

Persistent warm, comforting, rooted sweetness

The Full Story

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) develops its aroma primarily during cooking. Beta-amylase converts starch to maltose at 57-75C. Further heating caramelizes sugars and triggers Maillard reactions, producing maltol, vanillin, and furfural.

The cooked scent is warm, sweet, distinctly starchy, with caramelized edge and faint earthy undertones.

In perfumery, sweet potato act as a niche gourmand note. It adds warm, starchy sweetness distinct from vanilla or caramel.

This note in Première Peau. Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Related: Acerola · Akebia Fruit · Allyl Amyl Glycolate · Arctic Bramble · Argan · Berries · Black Sapote · Buriti

Did You Know?

Did you know?

The sweetness of roasted sweet potato is created during cooking, not present in the raw tuber. Beta-amylase converts starch to maltose at temperatures below 75C, which is why slow-roasting produces sweeter results.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: No extraction. Reconstructed from maltol, vanillin, furfural, and earthy modifiers.

Molecular Formula	N/A - natural plant material
CAS Number	N/A - natural tuber
Botanical Name	Ipomoea batatas
IFRA Status	No known restrictions
Synonyms	IPOMOEA BATATAS
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium
Appearance	Orange to purple tuberous root; in perfumery, a recreated gourmand-earthy accord

In Perfumery

Niche gourmand modifier. Key molecules: maltol, vanillin, furfural. Distinct from vanilla (more fragrant) and caramel (more sugar-forward). Suited to autumn, harvest, and comfort compositions.