From Field to Circular Value: Rosemary’s Role in IFF’s Bioeconomy Innovation

The bioeconomy represents a structural shift in how industries source, manufacture and design products, transitioning from fossil-based inputs to renewable, bio-based alternatives. For IFF, this transformation begins with a simple principle: to observe nature carefully and create from the inspiration we see within natural ecosystems.

Rosemary offers a compelling example. Cultivated for thousands of years and valued for its preservative and aromatic properties, this botanical is now central to a modern circular bioeconomy strategy that connects sustainable sourcing, advanced extraction science and upcycling into measurable environmental value. Today, IFF scientists are applying rosemary in ways that advance its flavor as well as its ability to inhibit the oxidation process and improve the flavor of other ingredients. In the process, we are delivering innovation for products that people eat and drink every day.

Why Rosemary Belongs in the Bioeconomy

Broadly speaking, an economy is the sourcing, management and use of resources. This remains true in the bioeconomy. Only the type of resource changes.

In the conventional economy, products are often developed from man-made, synthetic materials, including fossil fuels and petrochemicals. As companies build the bioeconomy into their supply chains, however, they use biological resources, or materials found in nature, to make products.

Further, in contrast to the economic structure of the last century, the bioeconomy is circular. As of today, the prevailing economy is built on a linear process: People extract resources, use the resources, and then throw away waste materials as well as the final products after use. In a circular economy, we focus on regenerating nature while we produce goods and services. We extract resources with care and attention, and we reuse materials, seeking to reduce or eliminate waste: principles that are foundational to building a circular supply chain.

At IFF, we apply circular thinking as we develop new rosemary applications.

Quality Starts in the Field: Sustainable Farming Practices in a Precise Climate

Before IFF can introduce rosemary-based solutions in the marketplace, we must begin by consciously sourcing top quality crops. Not just any rosemary will do. We need the best. To begin, we plant varieties with the highest levels of active ingredients. This enables us to achieve the maximum yield per unit of water.

In the growing process, IFF employs digital tools to continually manage irrigation and fertilizer application. These tools also help the farmers prevent the leaching of salts, including nitrogen and other minerals, into the plant roots. We pay careful attention to fertilizer use and work to prohibit any trace of pesticides or other contaminants in the harvest.

Rosemary thrives in a warm, sunny climate, and to grow the optimal crop, we need agricultural precision. It takes a specific blend of conditions, including soil composition and climate, to achieve the rosemary we want. To meet these growing conditions, IFF partners with farmers in Morocco and Spain, with their favorable arid climate conditions, to grow and manage our rosemary harvest.

Our farmer partners are committed to long-term sustainability through their planting, growing, production and extraction practices. The farms are also near IFF’s extraction sites, helping to reduce the costs and emissions associated with transportation.

In turn, IFF provides the farmers with secure long-term contracts that allow them to plan revenue and continue to foster sustainable development. These partnerships also support greater visibility into sourcing practices, which is an increasingly important component of supply chain traceability across the food and beverage industry. By incorporating long-term farmer partnerships and the upcycling of value streams into our broader conscious sourcing approach, IFF is strengthening the resilience of its rosemary supply network to better support food and beverage customers for the long-term.

The Science Behind Rosemary’s Power

The language of circularity and the bioeconomy may sound new, but this approach reflects observation and knowledge from centuries past. For instance, rosemary has long been used as a natural preservative. Today we know that rosemary inhibits oxidation, the process by which a substance loses electrons and deteriorates. As foods and beverages age, the oxidation process sets off a chain reaction that degrades fats, flavors and colors. Rosemary acts as a natural counter to this activity and helps extend flavor and freshness.

When IFF scientists extract molecules from the rosemary plant, we gain active components that can be used in many ways. To date, IFF’s primary developments have been in oil-soluble rosemary through the extraction of carnosic acid and carnosol. Yet, as is often the case in scientific discovery, our work with rosemary uncovered new resources. This led our team to develop a new, water-soluble solution through rosmarinic acid.

Traditionally, rosmarinic acid has been discarded in the development process, but we are upcycling this former waste stream and applying it to our products in inventive ways.

Rosemary is a powerhouse multifunctional ingredient, offering both flavor improvement and oxidation control, with great potential for new applications. Today, as IFF builds and scales the bioeconomy, we bring the versatility of rosemary to life through our GUARDIAN® solutions for beverages and food. We offer different brands and formulations because not every rosemary extract works in every application. Using the wrong solution can lead to undesirable sensory effects, reduced performance or even negative impacts on processing and equipment.

IFF’s long‑standing expertise and state‑of‑the‑art processing technologies allow us to develop application-specific formulations and to support manufacturers in selecting the most appropriate solution for their product and process. This is why having multiple brand options matters. It ensures effectiveness, product quality and process reliability.

Designing Rosemary for Real-World Formulations: IFF’s GUARDIAN® Range

To arrive at our multifold solutions in IFF’s GUARDIAN® portfolio, we study the possibilities of rosemary and use technology to uncover new uses. For instance, we sometimes produce solutions that build upon the flavor of rosemary; while at other times, we inhibit the flavor of rosemary altogether. In these types of sensitive applications, we reduce bitterness and undesired scent or flavor.

In addition to using rosemary to improve flavor, IFF has successfully leveraged its multifunctional properties to maintain or enhance the product quality of food and beverages through shelf life. Rosemary extract acts as a protective agent, guarding other ingredients from rapid oxidation. When a GUARDIAN® solution is added to another product, the product stays fresher longer. As a result, fewer products are returned or discarded, leading to less waste.

Note: Acetone and ethanol are processing aids and not part of the final ingredients. They are used to separate and characterize fractions during extraction and quality control. Under EU regulations, acetone is permitted in standard processing, while ethanol is required for organic certification. Importantly, not every producer has the capability to produce organic products.

In the image above, on the left we have detailed IFF’s oil-soluble solutions derived from carnosic acid and carnosol. The right side shows the pathway to AQUAROX, our water-soluble beverage formulation, that is derived from rosmarinic acid. In the past, rosmarinic acid was discarded, but today IFF upcycles this side stream and uses it to create new solutions.

Specific oil-soluble products from the GUARDIAN® portfolio include:

• VIVOX: IFF’s foundational solution for traditional culinary applications like meat and spices.
• INOLENS: Our premium solution for oils and margarine that is great for bakery and confectionery products. It’s rosemary extract with reduced bitterness and odor for delicate flavor profiles.
• SYNEROX: This formulation blends rosemary with other potent ingredients and plant extracts, such as green tea or acerola cherry extract. This is for special applications at high temperatures, including frying foods or complex recipes with many ingredients. The blend can be used in a high protein product, for example, where rosemary cannot do the job alone.

Upcycling in Action: Transforming Side Streams Into Circular Value

Most people tend to think of rosemary extract as an oil for good reason. As we’ve discussed, it has numerous applications.

But in exploring the possibilities of rosemary, scientists at IFF made an exciting discovery. During our extraction process, we uncovered a valuable molecule: rosmarinic acid. This compound is an excellent functional flavoring agent for a variety of food and beverage applications, contributing to a clean, full-bodied taste profile with subtle herbal and slightly tangy notes that remain refreshing but low in bitterness. In addition to its sensory contribution, it also acts as a potent antioxidant, helping to maintain or enhance product quality through shelf life without the need for synthetic flavors or additives.

As a result of our advanced technologies, we launched AQUAROX™, our water-soluble, rosemarinic acid-based formulation for beverages, designed to refine and maintain taste, freshness and color. This solution works well in beer, hard seltzer, carbonated drinks, energy and sports drinks, spirits and more—even near-water applications. IFF beverage customers have shared that they are also able to transport their products in more sustainable packaging with AQUAROX™. Previously, beverage producers had to rely on plastic packaging for preservation and transportation. Now they can transition to lighter or thinner packaging, as AQUAROX™ helps to protect beverages from exposure to elements including heat, air and light.

Best yet, IFF develops AQUAROX™ from a by-product of the traditional rosemary extraction process. Before now, this material would have been discarded. Today, IFF upcycles rosmarinic acid from rosemary extraction side streams, sustainably building a product line to serve our beverage customers. By transforming what was once considered waste into high-value ingredients, IFF is helping to enable a more circular supply chain, one where materials are continuously repurposed to extend their functional and environmental value. As a result of our work in developing AQUAROX™, IFF earned official Upcycled certification from the Upcycled Food Association.
 
Additionally, after extraction, a good deal of rosemary material still remains. We don’t want this to go to waste either, so we compact the rosemary by-product into cakes that are then used for fuel energy in our own production facilities, as well as supplied to other industries where it is used for energy generation.

Not All Rosemary is Created Equal

IFF has an expert team dedicated to developing solutions that take advantage of the unique characteristics of rosemary. The benefits of this botanical—its ability to enhance flavors and extend the freshness of foods and beverages—are garnering attention. As food and beverage purveyors explore the possibilities, it’s critical to ensure quality.

As noted, rosemary requires specific growing conditions. When these are not met, a rosemary harvest can yield inconsistent batches, some with low stability of active compounds. Without proper management of the extraction process, rosemary oil can become cloudy with sediment, undermining the quality of the overall product. Low-quality rosemary can also have strong flavor, odor and color, which eliminates its usefulness in improving or extending other flavors. Issues such as these can lead to waste of product, time and money.

IFF manages the rosemary process from seed to sale. To support the transparency of our process, we welcome the chance to share audit-ready specifications, origin declarations and country compliance status upon request.

What’s Next for Botanical Innovation in the Bioeconomy

Looking to the future, we seek to continually reduce waste, create innovative products and make our sourcing network more resilient. We will reach these goals not only through our innovation with rosemary, but through our entire portfolio of food protection solutions.
 

“We see rosemary extracts as a great symbol of nature-driven innovation, showcasing how plant-based science can meet modern industry needs. As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue discovering new applications for rosemary’s unique preservative and aromatic properties, while also championing its role in reducing food and beverage loss and waste in the supply chain through circular economy principles.”
Keshav Krishnamani , Global Product Line Manager, Food Protection, Food Ingredients

When IFF employs rosemary for delicious functional flavoring and to maintain freshness throughout shelf life, our product becomes a sustainability catalyst for other beneficial outcomes. For instance, products may need less refrigeration or no refrigeration at all, which leads to energy savings. By replacing synthetic additives with rosemary inputs, we reduce the environmental impact of synthetic chemicals in our food system and waste streams. When offering an Upcycled Certified selection of flavors based on rosemary extract, we are utilizing side streams that otherwise would go to waste. Also, when food and beverages have a longer expiration date, beverage producers can expand their market reach and fewer products are returned or wasted, as people have more time to consume them.
 
As IFF keeps refining our solutions, we learn more every day. We understand that rosemary is a strong ingredient, and at times it needs to be tempered. To drive true partnerships of impact, we are excited to share our knowledge and technical expertise with our customers and collaboratively explore new rosemary products and applications that we can create together.
 
Rosemary illustrates how a single ingredient can connect agriculture, chemistry and circular design into a coherent bioeconomy model. From sustainable sourcing to advanced extraction and upcycled ingredient development, IFF is translating our observation of nature into scalable impact while contributing to more transparent, traceable and circular systems across the value chain.

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