● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
AI and biotechnology companies develop methods to recreate scents of endangered plants
Key points
- Osmo uses AI to reconstruct chemical formulas from small plant samples.
- BioHarvest Sciences created a stable cell culture for an endangered plant's compounds.
- The goal is to reduce pressure on wild plant populations for fragrance ingredients.
- Conservationists express skepticism, calling it 'greenwashing'.
New Approaches to Fragrance Production
The fragrance industry is exploring new technologies to create scents traditionally derived from endangered plants. This initiative seeks to mitigate the environmental damage caused by harvesting rare ingredients, such as agarwood from Aquilaria trees, which has led to population devastation.
AI in Scent Recreation
Osmo, a Google Brain spin-off, is utilizing AI to predict and recreate smells. The company demonstrated this by analyzing a small piece of bark from a rare tree with a spectrometer, then using AI to reconstruct its chemical formula and reproduce the scent in a laboratory setting.
Biotechnology for Sustainable Sourcing
BioHarvest Sciences has developed a stable cell culture from an unnamed endangered Southeast Asian fragrance plant. This technology allows for the production of valuable fragrance compounds without the need to cultivate or harvest the original plant, with potential limited production beginning next year.
Addressing Supply and Demand
BioHarvest's CEO, Zaki Rakib, stated that biotechnology can help bridge the gap between unlimited human demand and limited biological supply. The company anticipates producing 20 tonnes of the fragrance composition, aiming to use nature's gifts without continually pressuring the source.
Conservationist Concerns
Despite these technological advancements, conservationists and natural perfumers, such as Mandy Aftel, are critical of the claims. They argue that calling these methods 'conservation' is a form of 'greenwashing,' as creating synthetic versions does not equate to protecting the actual endangered plants.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Companies like Osmo and BioHarvest Sciences are using AI and biotechnology to reproduce the scents of endangered plants without harvesting them. This development aims to address the environmental impact of sourcing rare fragrance ingredients, though some conservationists view it as greenwashing.