What Is Celery Ketone?
Celery Ketone is an aroma chemical created to capture the crisp green bite of fresh celery and the gentle warmth of herbal spice. It was first developed and commercialised by Givaudan, one of the big names in fragrance materials, though a handful of other flavour and fragrance houses now offer equivalent grades under slightly different trade names.
The ingredient is made by standard chemical synthesis that starts with common terpene feedstocks. Through a series of controlled reactions chemists build the ten-carbon backbone and then introduce the carbonyl group that gives the molecule its characteristic odour profile. The process is regarded as straightforward in the fragrance industry and relies on routinely available solvents, which keeps production relatively efficient.
At room temperature Celery Ketone is a thin liquid that looks softly yellow, almost straw coloured. It stays fluid in cool studio conditions and does not crystallise, so it is easy to weigh and blend. Most suppliers put the official shelf life at around two years when stored correctly, though many perfumers report little change in odour for three to four years if the bottle is kept tightly closed.
Usage is fairly specialised. You will find it in modern fougère or chypre accords, in savoury-leaning gourmand concepts and anywhere a perfumer wants to add the suggestion of lovage or celery seed without using volatile essential oils. Because the material is manufactured in moderate volume and the synthesis does not require exotic reagents it sits in the middle of the cost spectrum, neither a budget staple nor a luxury raw material.
Celery Ketone’s Scent Description
Most perfumers file Celery Ketone under the herbal family, though it also brushes against spicy-green territory. Off a blotter the first seconds reveal a brisk, leafy celery note that feels like snapping a stalk in half. Behind that comes a hint of warm coriander seed and a lightly earthy nuance reminiscent of carrot tops. As the minutes pass the sharp leafy edge softens, letting a slightly sweet anise facet peek through. The overall impression stays natural and mouthwatering rather than aggressively vegetal.
In the classic perfume pyramid raw materials are grouped as top, middle or base notes according to how fast they evaporate. Celery Ketone leaves the blotter more slowly than citrus or mint but much faster than woods or resins, so it sits squarely in the top-to-early-heart zone. It brightens a composition right away then fades back to a gentle herbal hum that blends with floral or spicy heart notes.
Projection is moderate. It radiates clearly for the first 30 minutes before settling closer to the skin. On paper strips the scent remains perceptible for roughly 16 hours, making it a handy bridge between fleeting head notes and deeper accords. On skin the effect is shorter, usually two to three hours, yet that is often enough to give a fragrance a crisp green opening that feels freshly prepared.
How & Where To Use Celery Ketone
Perfumers reach for Celery Ketone when a formula needs a crisp herbal lift that feels more culinary than foresty. It shines in aromatic fougère and chypre accords, where it can modernise the traditional bergamot-oakmoss duo and keep the opening feeling garden fresh. It also slips neatly into Mediterranean herb themes with basil, thyme or tarragon, adding brightness that lasts longer than most leafy materials.
Typical usage ranges from traces up to 3 %, with 0.1 % to 0.5 % being common in fine fragrance. At very low dosages it reads as a subtle green sparkle that boosts aldehydes or metallic notes. Around 1 % its celery core becomes obvious and the spice facet grows louder. Beyond 2 % it can dominate the top note, pushing a savoury angle that may feel out of place in delicate florals.
Celery Ketone is especially helpful for supporting lovage, angelica, galbanum and other bold greens that sometimes fade too soon. In jasmine accords a pinch counters indolic heaviness, giving the flower a dew-fresh nuance. It pairs well with Iso E Super, hedione and light musks to extend its presence without turning soapy.
Not every application is a success story. In gourmand or fruity profiles Celery Ketone can clash with sweet notes and create an unwanted vegetal note. It also struggles in highly acidic cleaners where citrus terpenes already dominate. Functional fragrances that lean woody or ambery often need it tempered with citrus or aldehydes to keep the celery from feeling out of place.
The material is potent so over-use risks turning a perfume into salad water. Excess can also introduce a slightly sweaty nuance reminiscent of overcooked celery, especially in hot climates or on fabric. Always build a trial dilution at 10 % in ethanol or dipropylene glycol, then weigh out your final addition for accuracy.
No special reactors or pre-blends are required, though giving the bottle a brief warm-water bath loosens viscosity for easier pipetting on cold days. As with all aldehydic or herbal ingredients, keep it capped tightly to avoid oxidation, label the date opened and test stability if the finished product will face high pH or strong surfactants.
Safely Using Celery Ketone
Good lab habits start with dilution. Prepare a 10 % or weaker solution before evaluating so you avoid overwhelming vapors. Never sniff straight from the bottle. Work at a ventilated bench or under a fume hood to disperse airborne particles. Gloves and safety glasses protect skin and eyes from splashes.
Like many aroma chemicals Celery Ketone can cause mild skin irritation in its neat form. Some users may experience allergic reactions after repeated contact. If you notice redness or itching discontinue exposure and seek medical advice.
Anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding should consult a healthcare professional before handling fragrance materials. While short moments with low concentrations are generally considered safe extended exposure or high levels can pose respiratory and dermal risks.
In case of accidental eye contact rinse immediately with plenty of water and seek medical help if irritation persists. For spills absorb with inert material such as vermiculite and dispose according to local regulations.
Store the bottle tightly closed in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight or heat sources. Keep it out of reach of children and pets. Do not reuse empty containers for food or drink.
Always refer to the most recent Safety Data Sheet supplied by your vendor as details can change with updated regulations. Follow current IFRA guidelines for maximum use levels in each product category to ensure your formula remains both compliant and safe.
How To Store & Dispose of Celery Ketone
Celery Ketone keeps its punchiest aroma when shielded from light and heat. A refrigerator set between 4 °C and 8 °C slows oxidation but a simple cool cupboard away from radiators or windows is usually fine. Whatever location you choose make sure bottles sit upright and are not exposed to temperature swings that can speed degradation.
Air contact is the main enemy of freshness. Transfer the material to the smallest practical container once the original bottle drops below half full so you leave as little headspace as possible. Fit each bottle with a polycone cap that forms a tight seal and helps prevent slow vapor loss. Dropper tops look convenient but they leak aroma, admit air and can contaminate the bulk if the pipette touches other liquids.
Label every container the day you open it with the name Celery Ketone, its CAS 3720-16-9, the date and any risk phrases from the Safety Data Sheet. Add the percentage if it is a dilution so future you knows exactly what is inside without guessing.
When disposing of unwanted or expired material remember that Celery Ketone is classed as non-biodegradable and harmful to aquatic life. Never pour leftovers down the sink. Small hobbyist quantities can be absorbed onto paper towels or vermiculite then sealed in a plastic bag and placed in the household hazardous waste stream according to local rules. Larger volumes should go to a licensed chemical waste handler. Empty bottles that once held neat material should be triple rinsed with solvent, the rinsate added to your flammable waste container, then recycled if glass or disposed of per municipal guidance.
Summary
Celery Ketone is a Givaudan-origin herbal aroma chemical that smells like crisp celery leaf with a mild spicy lift. Used at trace to low single-digit percentages it brightens fougère, chypre, basil and jasmine accords while adding green freshness that lasts longer than most top notes.
Its popularity rests on reliable performance, mid-range cost and the ability to give natural-smelling garden character without needing a stack of fragile essential oils. Perfumers appreciate its sixteen-hour blotter life yet must remember it can smell sweaty if overdosed or placed in the wrong context.
The material is stable in a wide pH window and shows excellent burn performance in candles and soaps though it is classed as harmful to the environment so careful waste handling and airtight storage are essential.
Professionals buy Celery Ketone by the kilo directly from Givaudan or other bulk suppliers. Small brands and hobbyists can find repackaged samples and generic equivalents through online fragrance retailers that sell down to 10 ml lots, making it easy to test its distinct green snap in any project.