Peru Balsam Resinoid

Natural Ingredient Overview

• 📂 CAS N°: 8007-00-9

• 🏭 Manufacturer: Firmenich

• 🔎 Botanical Name: Myroxylon pereirae Klotzsch

• 📘 FEMA: 2116

• ⚖️ MW: Not defined (complex mixture)

• 📝 Odor Type: Balsamic

• 📈 Odor Strength: Medium strength, high tenacity

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile: Sweet balsamic, cinnamic, vanillin-like, faintly smoky, slightly spicy

• 👅 Flavor Profile: Bitter-warm; rarely used in flavors except trace in chocolate profiles

• ⚗️ Uses: Fixative; base note for floral, spicy, balsamic, and oriental compositions

• 🧴 Appearance: Dark brown, viscous liquid

What is Peru Balsam Resinoid?

Peru Balsam Resinoid is a natural oleoresin produced from the trunk of Myroxylon pereirae, native to Central America. The exudate is harvested through incisions, followed by boiling in water to remove coarse debris. This process yields a highly tenacious, aromatic resin composed primarily of cinnamic and benzoic acid esters. Its use dates back centuries in both perfumery and traditional medicine.

The commercial resinoid form is produced by solvent extraction or alcohol clarification. Despite its name, Peru Balsam is largely sourced from El Salvador.

Olfactory Profile & Perfumery Applications

Its powerful balsamic character reveals layers of cinnamon, vanilla, and resin sweetness, occasionally touched by smokiness depending on collection technique. Upon drydown, a comforting vanillin character emerges, enriching compositions with warmth and longevity.

Key applications in perfumery:

• Fixative in oriental and amber bases

• Enhancer of rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, and heliotrope accords

• Modifier for tobacco, balsamic, and spicy profiles

• Synergist with patchouli, sandalwood, nitromusks, petitgrain

Although classified as a base note, Peru Balsam’s spicy diffusion allows it to influence middle accords in high-dosage formulations.

Industrial & Technical Uses

• Traditional use in topical pharmaceuticals (ointments, balms)

• Rare use in chocolate flavorings due to its bitter profile

• Mild antimicrobial and antifungal properties (topical only)

• Caution advised for leave-on products due to resinous content

Peru Balsam's color and solubility may limit its use in white or clear products. Soluble in alcohol, partly in chlorinated solvents, and poorly in hydrocarbons.

Regulatory & Safety Overview

• IFRA Compliance: Subject to restrictions due to allergenic constituents

• FEMA GRAS: FEMA N° 2116 – GRAS for limited flavor use

• EU Cosmetic Regulation: Contains known allergens (see below)

• Common Natural Allergens:

  • Benzyl benzoate

  • Cinnamic acid and esters

  • Benzyl alcohol

  • Vanillin

• Solubility: Soluble in ethanol; poor in water; partial in ether

• Stability: High tenacity; improves in blends with fixatives like labdanum or oakmoss

• Adulteration risks: Benzyl esters, castor oil, solvents; verify authenticity

Additional Information

• Main Collection Region: El Salvador

• Alternative Names: Balsam Peru, Myroxylon resin

• Solvent Extraction: Typically uses alcohol or ethyl acetate

• Clarification Notes: Often clarified or rectified to remove waxes and improve solubility

• Medicinal Caution: Use in castor oil suspension to reduce skin reactivity in pharma

• Solubility Challenges: May cause turbidity in clear perfumes if not well dissolved

Sources

• Fulvio Ciccolo, Scentspiracy Internal Archive

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

• FEMA GRAS Database (2116)

• PubChem Chemistry Database (CAS 8007-00-9)

• Scentspiracy Verified Contributor Dataset (2024)