News + Events

The New York Times published a fascinating look at nootkatone, a chemical found in cedar trees and grapefruits. The US EPA recently approved nootkatone for use in repelling ticks, mosquitos, and other potentially dangerous insects. The article appears in the Health section of the August 10, 2020 issue of the Times. (Read it here.)

The Times article reports that Nootkatone can be used for its insect repelling properties and remains potent for several hours after application. The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) has recently published a safety assessment on this material, as it is used as a fragrance ingredient.

RIFM has assessed the safety of fragrance-producing chemicals since the organization was founded in the 1960s.

In early 2015, RIFM published a fully-revised, peer-reviewed update to its Criteria for Evaluating the Safety of Fragrance Materials, resulting in a new series of Safety Assessments. Using these new criteria, RIFM has completed Safety Assessments for more than 85% of single-component fragrance materials currently in use.

Read RIFM’s peer-reviewed and published nootkatone safety assessment (free download).