Headspace Technology
A scent-analysis approach that samples volatile compounds in the air around a source, helping researchers study its aroma and perfumers develop a reconstruction.
Headspace is the air around a material containing volatile compounds released by it. In perfumery, sampling this air provides information about a scent source, such as a living flower.
Givaudan’s 2000 annual report describes enclosing a living orchid in a glass vessel and collecting its scented air for laboratory analysis without harvesting the flower. This differs from extracting an oil or absolute from plant material.
The analytical findings help inform a fragrance accord rather than supply a finished perfume formula. Givaudan’s account of Roman Kaiser’s work describes natural-scent research followed by reconstructions using synthetic scent materials. ScentTrek is the company’s proprietary approach in this field. A headspace reference on a note list explains the source of inspiration; sampling the perfume tells you whether you enjoy the resulting accord.