Is Delta-Dodecalactone natural? NOI route-dependent

Q: Is Delta-Dodecalactone natural?

Delta-Dodecalactone is a route-dependent ingredient — its NOI (0–1) depends on the manufacturing process used. Delta-dodecalactone can be produced naturally by fermentation or extraction, or synthesised from petrochemical feedstocks.

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

Route	Feedstock	NOI	Share	Notes
synthetic petrochemical	petrochemical building blocks	0.00	majority
natural fermentation/extraction	natural fats	1.00	minority

Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Natural route: fermented/extracted from natural fat sources = 1.0. Synthetic route: built from petrochemical feedstocks = 0.0

What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Produced either by fermentation or extraction from natural fat sources, marketed as natural, or by total chemical synthesis from petrochemical feedstocks; synthetic supply dominates the bulk fragrance market.

In plain English

A creamy, fruity fragrance ingredient, produced either by fermentation or extraction from natural fats or by chemical synthesis from petrochemical feedstocks.

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References

1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
2DELTA-DODECALACTONE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3DELTA-DODECALACTONE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DELTA-DODECALACTONE