Edible Perfumes in Food Processing: From Concept to Commercialization

Food streets often rely on the natural smoke and aroma wafting from cooking furnaces as a strategic sensory cue to stimulate appetite and attract consumers. This olfactory marketing technique appeals across dietary preferences—vegan, vegetarian, or non-vegetarian—by triggering hunger irrespective of food choices. In this context, edible perfumes emerge as an innovative convergence of food processing and fragrance technologies, enabling new approaches to food marketing and specialized food design, such as airline meals, where sensory enhancement is essential due to altered taste perception at high altitudes.

- By Dr. Vithu Prabha

Edible sprays not only enhance the aromatic appeal but also provide an opportunity to deliver flavor-associated nutrients, especially for industries aiming to incorporate nutrition through aroma-flavor integration in edible formats. These sprays offer both functional and emotional value, extending far beyond traditional flavoring methods.

The science of edible perfumes

Conventional perfumes release aromatic molecules into the air, which are detected by the olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity and interpreted by the brain. While various spice-, flower-, and citrus-based perfumes exist in nonfood domains such as textiles or air fresheners, these often contain synthetic compounds that may cause allergic reactions or are unsafe if ingested. Prolonged exposure of food to such ambient fragrances also raises concerns about chemical contamination.

Edible perfumes, in contrast, are formulated using food-grade, consumable ingredients—typically in the form of sprays, mists, or encapsulated volatile compounds. These are specifically designed to be both inhaled and ingested, safely enhancing the sensory profile of food. They aim to intensify or replicate the authentic aroma of dishes, thereby improving the overall eating experience.

Moreover, packaging materials can be infused or treated with these edible perfumes to create a multisensory or '4D' food experience, where the aroma is released progressively as the package is opened or the food is consumed. This addresses the common issue of aroma loss over time, particularly in processed or prepacked foods.

The growing acceptance of edible perfumes in the food sector is grounded in both consumer psychology and sensory science. The key considerations for their formulation and application include: