Illatanyag

Illatanyag is a Hungarian term referring to any substance that provides an odor or fragrance, typically used in perfumery, cosmetics, and flavorings. In English, the closest equivalents are fragrance ingredients or aroma compounds. An illatanyag can be natural, derived from plants through distillation, expression, or solvent extraction (for example essential oils, absolutes, or resinous extracts), or synthetic, produced by chemical synthesis or modification (such as esters, terpenoids, aldehydes, or musk-like compounds).

In perfumery, illatanyag molecules are combined in varying concentrations to create scent profiles. They are often categorized by their odor notes (top, middle, base) and by chemical class. The same compound may be valued for different properties, such as volatility, fixation, or stability.

Manufacturing and safety: Odor ingredients are subject to safety evaluation before use in consumer products. In the European Union, fragrance allergens must be disclosed on labeling when present above certain thresholds; broader safeguards come from cosmetics regulation and REACH, and industry guidelines from IFRA provide usage limits to minimize irritation or adverse effects.

In industry usage, illatanyag is sometimes used to describe a component of a perfume without specifying the full formulation. It overlaps with terms such as aroma compound and essential oil and is applicable to both fragrance creation and flavor applications.