Iris (Orris)

📝 Odor type — Floral Powdery

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Orris possesses a powdery, sweet floral aroma with hints of carrot-like, round, elegant, earthy, fruity red fruits. It also has a distinct rooty scent.

• ⚗️ Uses — Orris products are used in high-class perfumes and flavor compositions. Orris absolute is blended with other floral and woody notes to enhance its effect in perfumes (Arctander, 1961).

Introduction to Iris (Orris) in Perfumery

Iris, also known as Orris, is a highly esteemed ingredient in the world of perfumery. Its unique fragrance and complex extraction process make it a prized component in high-class perfumes.

Here is the detailed information about Iris (Orris) from the documents provided:

1. Orris Concrete and Absolute:

   • Orris Concrete is obtained by steam distillation of dried, ground rhizomes of the Iris plant. It has a violet-like fragrance and contains ketones, especially irone, which can constitute 55 to 85% of the composition. The concrete itself is a yellow-brown solid at room temperature, melting to a yellow liquid at 40 to 50°C (Burdock, 2010).

   • Orris Absolute is produced by extracting the concrete with alcohol to separate fatty acids and esters. It has a high content of irone, contributing to its characteristic odor (Burdock, 2010).

2. Physical and Chemical Characteristics:

   • The concrete oil is not soluble in ethyl alcohol at room temperature and contains myristic acid, which can be problematic due to its acidity but helps fix the delicate irone odor (Arctander, 1961).

   • Orris absolute has a delicate sweet-floral yet somewhat woody odor, which appears weak initially but becomes stronger on dilution (Arctander, 1961).

3. Production and Use:

   • The production of orris oil involves distilling pulverized rhizomes, a process demanding significant expertise due to the small yield of liquid oil and high starch content in rhizomes. The oil solidifies to a wax-like mass known as Orris Butter (Arctander, 1961).

   • Orris products are used in high-class perfumes and flavor compositions. Orris absolute is blended with other floral and woody notes to enhance its effect in perfumes (Arctander, 1961).

4. Regulatory Status:

   • Orris butter and orris concrete oil are recognized and regulated under various guidelines, including FDA 21 CFR 172.510 and FEMA PADI, reflecting their accepted use in food and fragrance applications (Burdock, 2010).

5. Reported Uses:

   • Orris products are used in a wide range of applications, from alcoholic beverages and baked goods to non-alcoholic beverages and frozen dairy products, showcasing their versatility in flavoring (Burdock, 2010).

Botanical and Geographical Information

• Botanical Varieties: Iris Pallida, Iris Germanica

• Where It Grows: France 🇫🇷, Italy 🇮🇹, Morocco 🇲🇦

Olfactive Description

Orris possesses a powdery, sweet floral aroma with hints of carrot-like, round, elegant, earthy, fruity red fruits. It also has a distinct rooty scent.

Method of Extraction

The roots are reduced to powder before the distillation process. The distillation unit is equipped with a turbodistillator that stirs the product during the process. If the roots are peeled before distillation, the quality is even higher.

Citations:

• Arctander, S. (1961). Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin.

• Burdock, G.A. (2010). Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients - 6th Edition.