Tag: Perfumery

While often confused with a vitamin, beta-ionone is actually a volatile organic compound that plants produce from the breakdown of carotenoids like beta-carotene. Though not a vitamin itself, this compound plays an essential role as a precursor in the metabolic pathway for synthesizing vitamin A in animals and is also widely used in fragrance and flavor industries.

Derived from the seeds of the *Dipteryx odorata* tree, tonka beans naturally contain the compound coumarin, which is responsible for their intoxicating and complex scent profile. This small, wrinkled bean is a versatile ingredient prized in both the fragrance and culinary worlds for its unique properties.

Native to the Amazon region, the tonka bean is the seed of the cumaru tree, a species known as *Dipteryx odorata*. What is tonka bean made of? Its key constituent is the natural chemical compound coumarin, which is responsible for its characteristic complex aroma.