A balloon aircraft collects fragrance samples from above the jungle canopy.
Givaudan
Looking for samples can be hair-raising work, with scientists sometimes forced to climb high to reach some plants.
Givaudan
A Givaudan researcher takes in the scent of a jungle flower.
Givaudan
A cinnamon plant with bright red leaves.
Givaudan
Local knowledge is essential when looking for or understanding new and rare plants.
Givaudan
Finding that enticing new scent is often a team effort that requires plenty of patience.
Givaudan
Some plants are collected for later analysis and description back in the laboratory.
Givaudan
A researcher collects a sample by analysing the so-called headspace surrounding a flower and leaving it untouched.
Givaudan
Samples undergo initial analysis in the field rather than wait until returning to the laboratory in Europe.
Givaudan
Sourcing natural raw materials is vital to the ability of fragrance and flavour companies to stay at the cutting edge of global markets. Here researchers are hunting new scents in the Madagascan jungle.
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Swiss companies Givaudan and Firmenich purchase thousands of different natural raw ingredients – in addition to synthetic ingredients – from all corners of the globe. Often working in remote areas with local communities, sourcing of such materials is a delicate affair in which the health and sustainability of the communities is intricately tied to that of the raw material itself. (Pictures: Givaudan)
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Swiss fragrance companies taste global success
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The firms that are responsible for many of the flavours in the food we eat, the scents in the perfumes we use and fragrances in the detergents we clean with were both founded in 1895, in Zurich and Geneva respectively. The similarity ends there. Whereas Givaudan has grown through a series of acquisitions and is publically…
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Neither of these perfume makers will get rich from what they do, but they were able to turn their passion into a full-time occupation, with no need for a side job to pay the bills. (Raffaella Rossello, swissinfo.ch)
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.