Aroma compound

An aroma compound, also known as an odorant, aroma, fragrance, or flavor, is a chemical compound that has a smell or odor. A chemical compound has a smell or odor when it is sufficiently volatile to be transported to the olfactory system in the upper part of the nose.Note: Carvone, depending on its chirality, offers two different smells.High concentrations of aldehydes tend to be very pungent and overwhelming, but low concentrations can evoke a wide range of aromas.Animals that are capable of smell detect aroma compounds with their olfactory receptors. Olfactory receptors are cell-membrane receptors on the surface of sensory neurons in the olfactory system that detect airborne aroma compounds. Aroma compounds can then be identified by Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry (GC-O), which involves a human operator sniffing the GC effluent.In 2005–06, fragrance mix was the third-most-prevalent allergen in patch tests (11.5%). 'Fragrance' was voted Allergen of the Year in 2007 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. A recent academic study in the United States has shown that '34.7 % of the population reported health problems, such as migraine headaches and respiratory difficulties, when exposed to fragranced products'.In 2010 the International Fragrance Association published a list of 3,059 chemicals used in 2011 based on a voluntary survey of its members. It was estimated to represent about 90% of the world's production volume of fragrances.