Gelsone

Technical Ingredient Overview

• 🏭 Manufacturer — International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)

• 🔎 Chemical Name — Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate (TCI Chemicals, 2025)

• 🧪 Synonyms — Ethyl 2-acetylcaprylate, 2-Acetyloctanoic acid ethyl ester

• 🧬 Chemical Formula — C₁₂H₂₂O₃ (PubChem, 2025)

• 📂 CAS — 29214-60-6

• 📘 FEMA — 4459 (FEMA, 2024)

• ⚖️ Molecular Weight — 214.31 g · mol⁻¹ (PubChem, 2025)

• 📝 Odor Type — Floral-jasmin, fruity-pear (IFF, 2025)

• 📈 Odor Strength — Strong, long-lasting (IFF, 2025)

• 👃🏼 Odor Profile — Jasmine-petal, pear-nectar, sweet-wine, fresh-green transparency (IFF, 2025)

• ⚗️ Uses — Fine fragrance, functional perfumery, flavour formulations (FEMA, 2024)

• 🧴 Appearance — Colourless to very pale-yellow liquid (TCI Chemicals, 2025)

What is Gelsone ™?

Gelsone™ is an acetoacetate ester created by IFF to impart a luminous floral-fruity facet that melds fresh top notes with velvety white-flower hearts. Its jasmin–pear tonality diffuses quickly yet persists for days on a blotter, making it valuable in modern transparent accords and in flavour work where a delicate white-wine nuance is desired (IFF, 2025).

Historical Background

IFF researchers in the late 1970 s identified ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate as a high-impact jasminic modifier with greater substantivity than simpler fruity esters; commercialisation under the trade name Gelsone™ followed in the early 1980 s (IFF, 2025). Since then, the ingredient has become a quiet workhorse in shampoos, sun-kissed florals, and pear accents.

Olfactory Profile

• Family: Floral–Fruity (Jasmin/Pear)

• Key Descriptors: Jasmine petal, pear nectar, fresh wine, green, sweet-velvety (IFF, 2025; Pell Wall Perfumers, 2025)

• Intensity & Tenacity: Noticeable at 0.1 % v/v; > 48 h on blotter (IFF, 2025)

• Fixative Function: Extends delicate fruity notes and softens indolic edges in jasmine absolute (IFF, 2025)

Applications in Fine Fragrance

• Boosts white-floral bouquets—especially with benzyl acetate and methyl anthranilate.

• Adds pear-melon brightness to aquatic-ozonic structures.

• Softens aldehydic openings in modern chypres with a gentle wine-like sweetness.

• Typical usage: 0.05 – 2 % of the concentrate; higher in rinse-off hair-care bases (IFF, 2025).

Performance in Formula

• Blends readily with esters, ketones, ionones, and lactones (IFF, 2025).

• Maintains heart diffusion without adding lactonic heaviness.

• Thermally stable up to ~90 °C and shows no discoloration in alkaline soaps (TCI Chemicals, 2025).

Industrial & Technical Uses

• Flavouring: FEMA 4459 authorises use in pear, white-wine, and tropical profiles at up to 20 ppm in finished beverages (FEMA, 2024).

• Functional Perfumes: Provides fresh-fruity bloom in shampoos, conditioners, and liquid soaps (IFF, 2025).

Regulatory & Safety Overview

• IFRA (51st Amendment): Not listed in Annex I; no specific quantitative restriction—standard IFRA safety assessment applies (IFRA, 2023).

• FEMA GRAS: 4459—ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate (FEMA, 2024).

• EU Cosmetics Regulation: Permitted; not among declarable fragrance allergens (checked 15 May 2025).

• GHS/CLP: Not classified as hazardous at ≥ 95 % purity; flash point ≈ 102 °C (TCI Chemicals, 2025).

• Industry Dermal Practice: ≤ 2 % in fine-fragrance concentrates unless further risk assessment warrants (IFF, 2025).

References

• International Flavors & Fragrances. (2025). Gelsone™ ingredient compendium.

• FEMA. (2024). Flavor Library record 4459: Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate.

• PubChem. (2025). Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate (CID 12289).

• TCI Chemicals. (2025). Ethyl 2-hexyl acetoacetate – product data sheet.

• IFRA. (2023). Index of IFRA Standards – 51st Amendment (PDF).