Raspberry Ketone (Frambinone)

Synthetic Ingredient Overview

• 🏭 Manufacturer — Various industrial fragrance suppliers

• 🔎 Chemical name — 4-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-one

• 🧪 Synonyms — Raspberry Ketone, Frambinone, Rheosmin

• 🧬 Chemical Formula — C₁₀H₁₂O₂

• 📂 CAS N° — 5471-51-2

• 📘 FEMA — 2588

• ⚖️ MW — 164.20 g/mol

• 📝 Odor type — Fruity / Sweet

• 📈 Odor Strength — High

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Fruity, sweet, powdery, with red fruit facets; soft and delicate in drydown

• ⚗️ Uses — Enhances fruity base notes (berries, red fruits); adds powdery softness; effective in fruity florals and gourmand structures

• 🧴 Appearance — White crystalline solid or off-white powder

• 💧 Solubility — Slightly soluble in water, soluble in alcohol and most organic solvents

What is Raspberry Ketone?

Raspberry Ketone, chemically named 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-one, is a synthetic aromatic ketone structurally related to vanillin and zingerone. It is one of the key odorants associated with raspberry fruit aroma, although it occurs only in trace amounts in nature.

It has been used since the mid-20th century in both perfumery and flavoring, thanks to its low threshold of perception, high tenacity, and excellent blending compatibility with fruit and floral materials.

In perfumery, Raspberry Ketone is particularly valued for imparting:

• Red berry fullness in fruity accords

• A fine powdery veil that softens the transition into the base note

• A sense of natural fruitiness without cloying sweetness

Olfactory Profile and Perfumery Applications

Raspberry Ketone offers:

• A delicate yet persistent red fruit tone

• Sweet, berry-like opening

• Smooth powdery drydown, similar in effect to heliotropin or benzyl salicylate, but less floral

• High compatibility with musk, violet, aldehydes, and gourmand bases

Common applications:

• Fruity-floral perfumes (e.g., raspberry-rose, peony-fruit)

• Gourmand bases (red fruit & vanilla blends)

• Modern chypres and teen-oriented fruity perfumes

• Body sprays and scented cosmetics for a soft-fruity lift

Synergistic combinations:

• Works particularly well with:

  • Ethyl Maltol, Furaneol (for sweetness)

  • Methyl Anthranilate (for grape-fruit blends)

  • Ionones and Musks (for roundness and diffusion)

Industrial and Technical Uses

In addition to perfumery, Raspberry Ketone is approved as a GRAS flavoring (FEMA 2588) and is used in:

• Berry-flavored beverages

• Confectionery and bakery

• Functional fruit-like aromas in oral care products

• Cosmetic fragrance for lotions, creams, powders

While promoted in some markets for weight-loss supplements, its primary validated applications remain olfactory and gustatory.

Regulatory and Safety Overview

• IFRA: Not restricted under current IFRA 51st Amendment

• EU Allergen Listing: Not listed among the 26 declarable fragrance allergens

• FEMA GRAS: ✅ FEMA 2588; approved for flavor use in food and beverages

• ECHA: Registered; not classified as hazardous under CLP

• Toxicology: Generally recognized as safe at standard perfumery and flavoring concentrations; no known sensitization or phototoxicity

• Stability: Chemically stable in fragrance formulations; may discolor under prolonged UV exposure

✅ Broadly considered safe and effective in regulated concentrations across perfumery and flavor contexts.

Sources

• FEMA GRAS Database – FEMA No. 2588

• PubChem CID 10621 – Raspberry Ketone

• Leffingwell & Associates – Fragrance Ingredient Reviews

• Scentspiracy Technical Archive – Fulvio Ciccolo

• Common Fragrance and Flavor Materials – Bauer, Garbe, Surburg