How does RIFM assess the safety of natural fragrance ingredients?
The science supporting fragrance safety is not static: It evolves. For more than half a century, the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) has led the global effort to ensure the safe use of fragrance ingredients. That legacy continues today through our full-spectrum safety assessment approach that includes both natural complex substances (NCS) and discrete fragrance ingredients.
In fact, the safety evaluation of NCS is deeply rooted in our decades-long work with discrete fragrance materials. Most NCS are composed of individual constituents, many of which are identical to or structurally similar to the 2,000+ discrete fragrance ingredients RIFM has already assessed. By understanding the safety of these individual components, we are uniquely positioned to efficiently and accurately assess the safety of the natural substances they comprise.
A common question we’re often asked: How does RIFM assess the safety of natural ingredients?
Here’s how we do it, and why it matters.
Natural ingredients, typically derived from plants, may consist of dozens, even hundreds, of individual chemical constituents. RIFM’s safety assessment process considers the full complexity of these materials, not just their individual parts, but also how they function as a whole. We apply the same rigorous standards to evaluate a single molecule or a naturally derived ingredient.
We start by reviewing the plant’s taxonomy, complete chemical composition, and how the material is processed. For NCS, this includes identifying the botanical Family and Genus and grouping similar materials together for evaluation. These groupings allow us to apply our comprehensive endpoint-based framework, which covers:
- Genotoxicity
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Reproductive and developmental toxicity
- Skin sensitization
- Photoirritation and photoallergenicity
- Local respiratory toxicity
- Environmental impact
(Read more about each endpoint here.)
To evaluate safety, RIFM scientists use robust data, including validated models such as Thresholds of Toxicological Concern (TTC), in silico tools, and read-across methods. Our longstanding leadership in read-across strategy enables us to draw from the extensive database of discrete fragrance ingredients to make science-based conclusions about NCS components. In many cases, evaluating a natural material also helps us update or strengthen the safety data for the individual components—an efficient, two-way benefit.
Importantly, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are central to assessing natural and synthetic fragrance ingredients. These advanced, non-animal testing strategies help us understand complex biological effects with greater precision and reinforce our investment in exposure science, which is especially important when dealing with complex mixtures like NCS. RIFM’s leadership in this area also contributes to global efforts to develop, validate, and expand the use of NAMs industry-wide.
Our assessments are conducted according to the peer-reviewed RIFM Criteria and NCS Criteria documents, which lay out transparent, science-backed methodologies. The end goal? To provide clear, evidence-based guidance to the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), which sets global standards to ensure fragrance ingredients are used safely in consumer products.
At RIFM, our legacy of evaluating fragrance ingredients is the foundation for confidently assessing natural substances. Through scientific rigor, transparency, and continued innovation in exposure science and NAMs, we ensure that every material—natural or synthetic—meets the highest safety benchmarks. We don’t just follow best practices—we define them.
Meet Danielle Botelho in Paris!
Dr. Botelho will present on RIFM’s legacy and leadership in the safety assessment of discrete and NCS fragrance ingredients at INFOX® 2025 in Paris on September 29, 2025. Click here to learn more and register for the event.
Danielle Botelho, PhD, Director of Scientific Operations at RIFM, leads the team responsible for performing these safety assessments and developing the methodologies behind them.