Aroma Ingredients
Safe-by-Design in BASF Aroma Ingredients: A Future‑Proof Approach
Safe-by-Design (SbD) is an engineering and product development concept that means anticipating and addressing potential safety and environmental issues at the earliest stages of innovation.
Instead of finding out late in the process that a new material poses risks to human health or the environment, SbD integrates hazard and risk assessment from the start, so that harmful candidates can be modified or avoided altogether. This approach emerged prominently in fields like nanotechnology - where EU guidelines have encouraged developers to consider safety from the earliest possible stages onwards in R&D. By doing so, companies can reduce delays and surprises in bringing new products to market, since any “red flag” issues (like substances of concern / very high concern or persistent substances) are detected early in the process.
1 Falk Andreas, Cassee Flemming R., & Valsami-Jones Eugenia. (2021). Safe-by-design and EU funded NanoSafety projects. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4652587 Read more Can this “Read more” be a click and expand type of format for the content in the next section?
A Trio of Innovation
Future-Proof New Ingredients and Examples
By implementing Safe by Design in this way, BASF has created several
new ingredients which are ready for upcoming future regulations.
Micadelva™, Velberry® and Dihydrorosan® illustrate how BASF’s Safe‑by‑Design approach within Aroma Ingredients enables the development of innovative molecules that meet both creative formulation needs and stringent safety expectations. By systematically evaluating factors such as carcinogenicity, endocrine activity, persistence, and related hazards — and advancing only those candidates with favorable profiles — BASF is building a portfolio of fragrance and flavor ingredients with strong, future‑ready regulatory characteristics.
Such substances are substantially less likely to encounter future restrictions as global regulatory frameworks evolve, effectively rendering them “designed for the future.” This proactive strategy safeguards consumers and the environment while providing BASF and its customers with confidence that these new ingredients can be used broadly and in full compliance.
In a regulatory landscape where requirements such as IFRA standards and REACH obligations continue to tighten, BASF’s Safe‑by‑Design initiative supports continued innovation—delivering safe, sustainable, and high‑performing olfactory and taste solutions that remain resilient to emerging regulatory challenges.
