Fenchone has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 1.00 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Major component of fennel seed oil; the alternative synthesis starts from natural pinene/camphene, so the feedstock is natural either way. An NOI of 1.00 means 100% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Is Fenchone natural? NOI 1.00

How we scored it

Bicyclic terpene ketone C10H16O; whole molecule natural whether from fennel oil extraction or turpentine-derived camphene.

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

Extracted from fennel seed essential oil, or made from camphene derived from alpha-pinene in pine-tree turpentine. Both routes start from natural terpene feedstocks.

In plain English

A camphor-like, minty compound used as a fragrance ingredient. It is the main component of fennel seed oil and can also be made from pine-tree turpentine.

Structure

1,3,3-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one

PubChem CID 14525 ↗

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.
2Fenchone. PubChem CID 14525. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
3FENCHONE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
4FENCHONE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=FENCHONE