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Incense Materials

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Book cover Springer Handbook of Odor

Part of the book series: Springer Handbooks ((SHB))

Abstract

Incense burning is probably the oldest perfuming method known to mankind. This chapter presents an overview of incense materials from different cultures and times, such as frankincense, myrrh, agarwood, palo santo, copal, and many more. Their botanical sources are given, and their chemical composition and odor properties are discussed. The methods of producing incense preparations are also briefly summarized. Incense use may pose certain health risks in the case of prolonged or repeated exposure, but may also have potential in medical applications. Incense use represents a special challenge to aroma research, as odorants can be newly formed during the process of burning.

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Abbreviations

PAH:

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

SVHC:

substance of very high concern

VOC:

volatile organic compound

vPvB:

very persistent and very bioaccumulative

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Benjamin Neumann of C.E. Roeper (Hamburg, Germany) for insights into trade prices of incense materials, Sabine Widder and Thierry Suong of Symrise (Holzminden, Germany) for supplying the odor descriptions and Cusanuswerk – Bischöfliche Studienförderung for funding.

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  1. Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Henkestrasse 9, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Johannes Niebler

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  1. Fraunhofer-Institut for Process Engineering and Packaging, Giggenhauser Str. 35, 85354, Freising, Germany

    Andrea Buettner

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Niebler, J. (2017). Incense Materials. In: Buettner, A. (eds) Springer Handbook of Odor. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26932-0_4

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