Research on Extraction Methods of Natural Fragrances

College of Tobacco Science, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, China

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

This review summarizes extraction technologies for natural fragrance materials and discusses the limitations of conventional routes and recent progress in greener alternatives. Natural fragrance materials are widely used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products, yet traditional processes—such as solvent extraction, steam distillation, and cold pressing—often suffer from solvent residues, high energy demand, thermal degradation of heat-sensitive constituents, and low raw-material utilization. We compare conventional and emerging approaches from the perspectives of extraction efficiency/selectivity, aroma-quality preservation, safety, and environmental impact. Emphasis is placed on representative green technologies including supercritical fluid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and enzyme-assisted extraction, as well as novel solvent systems such as ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents. Current barriers (e.g., cost, scale-up, and process controllability) are also discussed, and future directions are proposed toward solvent–matrix–component matching, full-chain greening, and multi-technology integration for sustainable production.