This section provides an overview of L-carvone (laevo-carvone), covering its manufacturing processes and regulatory status, applications in food, beverage, oral care, pharmaceutical, fragrance, and specialty chemical industries. Also, please check out the introduction to L-carvone manufacturers, supply chain issues, L-carvone suppliers, and L-carvone prices. Sinofi can help you buy L-carvone at bulk wholesale prices based on FEMA 2249 and CAS 6485-40-1.
Table of Contents
What is L-Carvone?
L-carvone, also known as laevo-carvone, represents one of the most important and versatile flavour compounds used in modern food and beverage formulation. As a naturally occurring monoterpenoid ketone, L-carvone serves as the principal flavour constituent responsible for the characteristic aroma and taste of spearmint, making it an indispensable ingredient for flavour formulation engineers. L-carvone is a chiral molecule with the molecular formula C₁₀H₁₄O. It exists as a clear to light yellow liquid at room temperature. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), L-carvone is approved to be used in the flavour, fragrance, and food industries.
Regulatory Status and Safety Considerations
L-Carvone has been evaluated by relevant regulatory authorities like JECFA, EFSA, RIFM, ECHACHEM, NIST, and WHO. It enjoys Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the United States when used in accordance with good manufacturing practices for flavouring purposes. European Union regulations classify L-carvone as an approved flavouring substance, permitting its use in food products subject to the quantum satis principle. Regulatory requirements vary significantly between jurisdictions regarding the distinction between natural and synthetic L-carvone. The European Union maintains strict definitions for natural flavourings, requiring that natural L-carvone be derived exclusively from natural sources through appropriate physical, enzymatic, or microbiological processes. The fragrance standard of L-carvone has been set by organizations such as IFRA.
Natural Sources
L-carvone occurs naturally in spearmint oil (Mentha spicata), where it constitutes approximately fifty to seventy percent of the essential oil composition, depending on the botanical variety, growing conditions, and harvest timing. This natural abundance makes spearmint oil the primary commercial source for natural L-carvone extraction. Other natural sources include dill seed oil and caraway seed oil, though these predominantly contain the D-carvone enantiomer.
For flavour formulation purposes, the distinction between natural and synthetic L-carvone becomes critically important for product labeling and regulatory compliance. Natural L-carvone derived from spearmint oil qualifies for natural flavour status in most jurisdictions, while synthetically produced material, regardless of its identical chemical structure, must be declared as artificial or nature-identical depending on regional regulations. This distinction often influences sourcing decisions based on target market requirements and premium positioning strategies.
Sensory Characteristics and Flavour Profile
L-carvone exhibits a fresh, sweet, spearmint-like aroma with cooling and slightly herbaceous undertones. The odor threshold in water is remarkably low, typically ranging from ten to fifty parts per billion, which classifies L-carvone as a high-impact flavour compound requiring precise dosing in formulation work. The taste profile mirrors the aromatic characteristics, delivering an immediate cooling sensation followed by a sweet, minty flavour that develops into subtle herbaceous notes on the palate. The cooling sensation associated with L-carvone, while less intense than menthol or cooling agents like WS-23, provides a pleasant, refreshing quality that enhances overall sensory experience in appropriate applications.
The sensory perception of L-carvone demonstrates significant differences from its enantiomer D-carvone, despite their identical molecular formulas. This phenomenon illustrates the importance of chirality in flavour chemistry, as the human olfactory receptors interact differently with each enantiomer. While L-carvone produces the characteristic spearmint note, D-carvone delivers caraway and dill-like aromas. This distinction emphasizes the critical nature of maintaining proper stereochemical purity during production and storage.
CAS No.: 6485-40-1
According to the American Chemical Society, the CAS number of L-carvone is 6485-40-1.
CAS Name: L-Carvone
Molecular Formula: C10H14O
Molecular Mass: 150.22
Appearance: Colorless to light strawberry-colored liquid.
JECFA Number: 380.2
Food Chemicals Codex Listed: Yes
Boiling Point: 227.00 to 230.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
Solubility: Soluble in propylene glycol and most fixed oils; insoluble in glycerol; miscible with alcohol.
Other Names:
♦ L-Carvone
♦ (-)-Carvone
♦ (-)-(R)-Carvone
♦ (-)-p-Mentha-6,8-dien-2-one
♦ (R)-Carvone
♦ (R)-(-)-Carvone
♦ L-(-)-Carvone
♦ (4R)-(-)-Carvone
♦ L-Carvone
♦ R-(-)-Carvone
♦ (R)-Carvone
♦ (-)-(5R)-Carvone
♦ Laevo carvone
L-Carvone Odor
Odor Strength: Mediums
Substantivity: 24 hours at 100.00 %
Odor Description: At 100.00 %, odor of spearmint.
FEMA Number 2249
According to the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA), the FEMA number of L-carvone is 2249.
Bulk L-Carvone Manufacturers
The bulk L-carvone manufacturing features a tiered structure of international flavour and fragrance companies, specialized natural extract producers, and regional essential oil processors. Top L-carvone manufacturers like Givaudan, Takasago, and IFF maintain significant market share through vertically integrated supply chains. They leverage economies of scale, technical expertise, and established customer relationships to maintain competitive advantages. Chinese L-carvone manufacturers have emerged as significant players in recent years, leveraging lower production costs and expanding agricultural capacity to serve price-sensitive market segments.
Sinofi is a bulk L-carvone manufacturer in China, and we have a manufacturing facility with 2,500 square meters for the production of L-carvone. We supply high-quality L-carvone at bulk prices and serve food, beverage, oral care, pharmaceutical, fragrance, and specialty chemical industries worldwide.
Manufacturing Process of L-Carvone
The bulk L-carvone manufacturing encompasses both extraction-based and synthetic production methodologies.
L-Carvone: Natural Extraction from Spearmint Oil
The predominant industrial route for L-carvone production involves extraction and purification from spearmint oil, specifically from Mentha spicata or Mentha cardiaca. This approach capitalizes on the high natural concentration of L-carvone in spearmint essential oil, which typically contains 50-70% L-carvone depending on cultivation conditions, harvest timing, and plant genetics. The extraction process begins with steam distillation of fresh or partially dried spearmint plant material, yielding crude spearmint oil as the primary distillate.
Steam distillation operates by passing pressurized steam through the plant material at temperatures typically ranging from 100-110°C. The steam volatilizes the essential oil components, which are then condensed and separated from the aqueous phase through density differences. This process requires careful temperature control to maximize oil yield while minimizing thermal degradation of sensitive terpene components. Modern industrial installations employ continuous distillation systems with automated temperature monitoring and pressure regulation to optimize extraction efficiency.
L-Carvone: Chemical Synthesis Routes
The synthesis typically commences with allylic oxidation of D-limonene at the isopropenyl methyl group to form carveol intermediates. This oxidation can be accomplished through various methods, including selenium dioxide oxidation, chromium-based reagents, or more modern catalytic approaches using transition metal complexes. The selectivity of this oxidation step proves critical, as competing reactions at the endocyclic double bond or over-oxidation to carvone must be minimized to maintain acceptable yields.
Following formation of the carveol intermediate, further oxidation converts the secondary alcohol to the corresponding ketone, yielding carvone. However, the stereochemistry obtained through this route depends on the starting limonene enantiomer and the selectivity of the oxidation steps. D-limonene naturally leads to D-carvone through this pathway, necessitating either resolution of the racemic product or enantiomeric inversion if L-carvone is the desired product. Some synthetic approaches employ enzymatic resolution or chiral catalysis to achieve the required L-configuration, though these methods typically add complexity and cost to the manufacturing process.
Bulk L-Carvone Suppliers
The bulk L-carvone supply operates through several distinct supplier categories, each serving different customer needs and market segments. Top L-carvone manufacturers like Givaudan, Takasago, and IFF represent the primary tier, producing L-carvone through either natural extraction from spearmint oil or chemical synthesis. They typically operate as both manufacturers and suppliers, leveraging their vertical integration to serve large-volume customers requiring consistent specifications and comprehensive documentation. Chinese L-carvone suppliers have emerged as major participants in the global L-carvone market over the past two decades, driven by expanding production facilities. They offer significant cost advantages compared to Western sources while gradually improving quality standards and certification capabilities. Leading suppliers have invested substantially in modern distillation equipment, analytical laboratories, and quality management systems to meet international customer requirements.
Sinofi is a bulk L-carvone supplier in China, and we have a warehouse with 1,200 square meters for high-quality L-carvone. We sell different grades of L-carvone at wholesale prices, serving end-users in food, beverage, oral care, pharmaceutical, fragrance, and specialty chemical industries.
Supply Chain of L-Carvone
The L-carvone supply chain exhibits characteristics common to botanical extract industries, including agricultural dependency, seasonal production cycles, and quality variability requiring sophisticated management approaches. It operates through a multi-tiered structure that can be conceptualized as four distinct but interconnected layers, each contributing specific value and performing essential functions in product delivery. The upstream tier encompasses agricultural production where spearmint cultivation occurs, representing the foundational element that ultimately determines supply availability and quality potential. The midstream tier involves primary processing operations that extract and concentrate L-carvone from raw plant material through steam distillation and initial purification. The downstream tier comprises secondary processing and distribution operations that further refine the product, manage inventory, and facilitate market transactions. Finally, the end-user tier consists of manufacturers across multiple industries who incorporate L-carvone into finished consumer and industrial products.
Wholesale and Buy L-Carvone in Bulk
Wholesale procurement of L-carvone in bulk quantities offers significant economic advantages and operational benefits when implemented with appropriate sophistication and strategic planning. L-Carvone buyers should approach this procurement challenge systematically, beginning with comprehensive supplier qualification that evaluates quality capabilities, regulatory compliance, financial stability, and technical service alongside pricing considerations. Volume-based negotiations create mutual value through reduced supplier transaction costs and improved buyer economics.
Understanding Bulk Purchasing Economics and Volume Thresholds
Bulk purchasing of L-carvone offers significant economic advantages compared to smaller quantity procurement, though the specific savings achievable depend on numerous factors, including current market conditions, supplier competitive dynamics, and negotiation effectiveness. Most suppliers implement tiered pricing structures that reward larger volume commitments with progressively lower unit costs, reflecting their reduced transaction costs per unit sold and improved manufacturing efficiency from longer production runs. The pricing differential between small lot purchases and bulk quantities can range from fifteen to forty percent, depending on the volumes involved and the specific supplier’s cost structure.
Minimum order quantities established by suppliers create practical thresholds that influence procurement planning. Primary manufacturers typically require minimum purchases ranging from one hundred to five hundred kilograms for direct transactions, with some willing to accommodate smaller quantities at premium pricing. These minimums reflect the operational efficiency considerations of production scheduling and quality control batch testing that make very small orders economically unattractive to suppliers. Distributors generally offer lower minimum order quantities, sometimes as small as five to twenty-five kilograms, serving this market segment by aggregating smaller customer requirements into larger supplier purchases that meet manufacturer minimums.
Supplier Qualification and Selection Framework
Establishing reliable wholesale L-carvone supply relationships begins with systematic supplier qualification that evaluates prospective partners across multiple dimensions extending well beyond quoted pricing. Quality management capabilities represent perhaps the most critical evaluation criterion, as inconsistent product specifications can disrupt production operations and compromise finished product quality. Purchasing managers should assess suppliers’ analytical testing capabilities, quality assurance organizational structures, and historical performance data demonstrating batch-to-batch consistency. Requesting and reviewing certificates of analysis from recent production batches provides objective evidence of quality performance and reveals whether suppliers routinely meet their stated specifications.
As a bulk L-carvone manufacturer and supplier in China, we wholesale this ingredient to end users in food, beverage, oral care, pharmaceutical, fragrance, and specialty chemical industries. We also supply laevo-carvone to small customers. Normally, they want to buy L-carvone in small quantities. To serve them, we can sell L-carvone at bulk prices and provide a one-stop purchasing service.
L-Carvone Prices (USD/Kg)
Food Grade L-Carvone Prices (GC Content >=97.0%)
| Volume | Unit Price | Shipment |
| 50g | 11 USD | Express |
| 500g | 52 USD | Express |
| 1Kg | 75 USD/Kg | Express |
| 20Kg | 35% cheaper | Express |
| 100Kg-Above | negotiable | Express / Sea |
The L-carvone pricing reflects the complex interplay of agricultural supply conditions, global demand patterns, production costs, and competitive market dynamics characteristic of natural specialty chemical markets.
Current Price Levels and Market Ranges
L-carvone pricing in global markets during late 2024 and early 2025 exhibits significant variation depending on quality grade, purchase volume, regional market, and supplier type. Standard food-grade L-carvone with purity specifications between 95-98% typically trades in the range of 45-75 USD per kilogram for bulk purchases exceeding one hundred kilograms from established suppliers. This wide range reflects differences in supplier positioning, customer relationships, market conditions in different regions, and the specific terms of individual transactions. Premium food-grade material with purity above 98% and particularly favorable sensory characteristics commands pricing at the upper end of this range or higher, sometimes reaching 80-90 USD per kilogram when supply tightness or specific quality requirements justify premium levels.
Natural grade L-carvone commands the highest pricing in the market, typically ranging from 280 to 500 USD per kilogram depending on supply availability, and customer willingness to pay for natural certification. The natural premium reflects both the higher costs of spearmint cultivation, which typically yields less oil per acre than conventional agriculture, and the limited supply relative to total market demand.
Smaller quantity purchases command significantly higher per-kilogram pricing across all quality grades, with purchases below 25 Kg from distributors typically priced 30-60% above bulk purchase levels. This small quantity premium reflects the higher transaction costs, packaging expenses, and inventory carrying costs that suppliers incur when serving customers with modest volume requirements.
Furthermore, the above L-carvone price quotations do not include the express shipping fee. The reason is that the shipment cost may exceed the value of the L-carvone sample. However, the bulk wholesale prices of L-carvone will be much lower than those of small orders. Please contact us for more details.
L-Carvone Specification
| Appearance: | Colorless to light strawberry-colored liquid. |
| Odor: | Odor of spearmint. |
| Purity (GC) | >=97% |
| Refractive Index (20°C) | 1.495 – 1.502 |
| Specific Gravity (25°C) | 0.956 – 0.960 |
| Optical Rotation (25℃) | -62° – -57° |
| Solubility (25℃) | 1ml sample dissolves in 2ml 70% alcohol. |
| Heavy Metal (as Pb, mg/Kg) | <=10 |
| As (mg/Kg) | <=3 |
L-Carvone Uses
L-carvone serves as a versatile ingredient across multiple industries, valued primarily for its distinctive spearmint aroma and flavour characteristics, along with its functional properties as a natural monoterpene compound.
Food and Flavour Applications
The food and beverage industry represents the largest application segment for L-carvone, where it functions primarily as a flavouring agent, imparting spearmint taste and aroma to diverse product categories. Chewing gum stands as one of the most significant application areas, with spearmint-flavoured varieties maintaining consistent popularity across global markets. L-carvone provides the characteristic fresh, minty flavour profile that consumers associate with spearmint gum, typically used at concentrations ranging from 50-200 ppm depending on desired intensity and formulation complexity. The compound’s volatility contributes to the immediate flavour impact upon chewing, while its relative stability during gum manufacturing processes enables consistent product quality through production and distribution cycles.
Confectionery products, including hard candies, soft candies, and mints, utilize L-carvone extensively to create spearmint-flavoured offerings popular with consumers seeking refreshing taste experiences. The compound’s heat stability allows incorporation into high-temperature candy manufacturing processes without significant degradation, though careful process control optimizes flavour retention.
Beverage applications span both alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories, with L-carvone contributing mint flavour notes to cocktails, liqueurs, flavoured waters, soft drinks, and specialty beverages. The compound’s excellent water solubility when properly solubilized enables uniform flavour distribution in aqueous beverage systems, while its stability at typical beverage pH levels supports acceptable shelf life for most products.
Baked goods and desserts incorporate L-carvone to create mint-flavoured variations of traditional products, with applications ranging from cookies and brownies to ice cream and frozen desserts. The compound’s thermal stability through baking processes enables its use in products subjected to elevated temperatures, though some flavour loss occurs, requiring formulation adjustments to achieve the desired final product intensity. Ice cream and frozen dessert applications prove particularly suitable for L-carvone, given the cold serving temperatures that enhance volatile compound perception, while the fat-based matrix provides favorable solubility characteristics.
Oral Care Product Applications
Oral care products represent the second largest application segment for L-carvone, with toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, and related products utilizing the compound extensively to provide a pleasant mint flavour and perceived freshness. Consumer preference for mint-flavoured oral care products remains exceptionally strong across global markets, with spearmint and peppermint variants dominating market share compared to alternative flavours.
Toothpaste formulations typically incorporate L-carvone at concentrations ranging from 100 ppm to 500 ppm, carefully balanced with other flavour components, including sweeteners, cooling agents, and masking flavours that address inherent bitterness from active ingredients. The compound must remain stable in the complex toothpaste matrix containing abrasives, humectants, detergents, and various active ingredients across the product’s typical two to three-year shelf life. Mouthwash and oral rinse products use L-carvone at similar or slightly higher concentrations compared to toothpaste, leveraging the mint flavour to provide perceived cleaning efficacy and lasting fresh breath sensation.
Fragrance and Personal Care Applications
The fragrance industry utilizes L-carvone as both a primary mint fragrance note and as a component within complex fragrance compositions, where it contributes fresh, herbaceous character to overall scent profiles. Personal care products, including shampoos, conditioners, body washes, lotions, and deodorants, incorporate L-carvone to provide refreshing mint notes associated with cleanliness and invigoration. The compound’s volatility contributes to immediate fragrance impact upon product application, while its substantivity on skin and hair supports lasting fragrance perception beyond the initial use experience. Formulators balance L-carvone concentration with other fragrance components and functional ingredients to create harmonious scent profiles that enhance product appeal without overwhelming users with excessive mint intensity.
Fine fragrance applications, while representing smaller volumes compared to personal care, utilize L-carvone as a top note component in fragrances featuring herbaceous, aromatic, or fresh accords. Perfumers value L-carvone for contributing brightness and freshness that enhances fragrance opening impressions, with the compound’s moderate persistence providing transition between immediate top notes and longer-lasting heart notes. Men’s fragrances more commonly incorporate mint notes compared to women’s fragrances, though unisex and fresh fragrance categories demonstrate growing use of herbal mint character, where L-carvone contributes alongside other natural extracts and aromatic compounds.
Pharmaceutical Applications
The pharmaceutical industry employs L-carvone in multiple capacities, including as a flavouring agent for oral medications, as a functional excipient providing specific technical benefits, and as a chemical intermediate in active pharmaceutical ingredient synthesis.
L-Carvone Benefits
L-carvone offers a compelling array of benefits that extend well beyond its primary function as a flavouring and fragrance compound, encompassing sensory attributes, functional properties, potential health effects, commercial advantages, and sustainability credentials.
Sensory and Organoleptic Benefits
The most immediate and commercially significant benefit of L-carvone lies in its distinctive sensory characteristics that provide a pleasant spearmint flavour and aroma appreciated by consumers worldwide. The compound delivers fresh, sweet, minty notes with a characteristic spearmint profile distinct from the sharper menthol-dominated character of peppermint, creating differentiated sensory experiences that formulators can leverage for product positioning. This spearmint character enjoys nearly universal consumer acceptance across diverse cultural backgrounds and demographic segments, providing formulators with a safe flavour choice unlikely to generate significant consumer rejection based on regional taste preferences or acquired flavour associations that limit some botanical extracts to niche markets.
Functional Benefits in Product Formulations
Beyond sensory contributions, L-carvone provides multiple functional benefits that enhance product performance and formulation stability across diverse application categories. The compound’s antimicrobial properties, demonstrated through numerous research studies, offer preservation benefits that can reduce reliance on synthetic preservatives or provide complementary antimicrobial activity supporting overall product safety.
Health and Wellness Benefits
Research into the biological activities of L-carvone has revealed several potential health benefits that may provide functional advantages beyond pure flavouring applications, though the extent and clinical relevance of these effects require additional investigation for definitive validation. Antimicrobial activity against various bacterial and fungal species has been demonstrated in multiple laboratory studies, with L-carvone showing growth-inhibitory effects against food spoilage organisms and certain pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, anti-inflammatory properties have been observed in experimental studies evaluating L-carvone’s effects on inflammatory mediators and cellular inflammation responses.
L-Carvone in E-Liquid and Vaping Products
The electronic cigarette and vaping industry has incorporated L-carvone as a flavouring ingredient in e-liquids and vaping products since the early commercialization of these products, leveraging the compound’s distinctive spearmint flavour to create mint-flavoured vaping experiences.
Technical Aspects of L-Carvone in E-Liquid Formulations
E-liquid formulations typically consist of a base mixture of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin in varying ratios, nicotine at concentrations ranging from 0-50 mg/ml depending on product type and regulatory jurisdiction, and flavouring compounds that provide the sensory characteristics differentiating various products. L-carvone serves as a flavouring ingredient in mint and spearmint-flavoured e-liquids, typically used at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2 percent of total e-liquid volume, depending on desired flavour intensity and the presence of other flavouring compounds in complex flavour formulations. The compound’s volatility and lipophilic character facilitate incorporation into the propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin base, with good solubility enabling homogeneous distribution throughout the liquid matrix without requiring special solubilization techniques or delivery systems.
Regulatory Landscape and Policy Responses
The regulatory treatment of L-carvone and other flavouring compounds in vaping products varies substantially across different jurisdictions. According to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, manufacturers of e-cigarettes and e-liquids should submit premarket tobacco product applications demonstrating that products are appropriate for the protection of public health. The practical effect has been increased regulatory scrutiny of flavoured products, particularly those with flavours that might appeal to youth, though implementation has evolved with various enforcement priorities and policy changes.
Several jurisdictions, including the European Union, have implemented restrictions on flavoured vaping products, with some banning all non-tobacco flavours while others implement more targeted restrictions on specific flavour categories. The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control encourages parties to regulate electronic nicotine delivery systems, though specific implementation approaches remain at individual country discretion. The resulting patchwork of regulatory approaches reflects ongoing scientific uncertainty about vaping’s health effects and appropriate policy responses, with regulatory approaches continuing to evolve as new evidence emerges and policymakers gain experience with different regulatory models.
A Production Process for Sweet Orange Flavouring in E-Liquid
The process steps are as follows:
Step 1. Terpene-removed Sweet Orange Oil
Ethanol and propylene glycol are mixed at a mass ratio of 1:1 to obtain a terpene-removing solvent mixture. Sweet orange oil is then mixed evenly with the terpene-removing solvent mixture to obtain a terpene-removing mixture. The terpene-removing mixture comprises 16.67% sweet orange oil and 83.33% terpene-removing solvent mixture. The terpene-removing mixture is poured into a separatory funnel and allowed to stand until separation occurs. After separation, the lower liquid phase is taken as the terpene-removed sweet orange oil.
Step 2. Ethanol, propylene glycol, a fixative, and aroma-enhancing components are added to the terpene-removed sweet orange oil to obtain sweet orange flavouring.
The sweet orange flavouring comprises, by mass percentage, 48.6% terpene-removed sweet orange oil, 24.3% ethanol, 24.3% propylene glycol, 0.1% fixative, and 2.7% aroma components. The fixative in sweet orange flavouring comprises, by mass ratio, 0.03% triacetin and 0.07% benzyl alcohol.
The aroma components in sweet orange flavouring comprise, by mass ratio, 0.04% ethyl hexanoate, 0.04% linalyl acetate, 0.04% ethyl decanoate, 0.06% octyl acetate, 0.07% ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 0.25% ethyl acetate, 0.4% ethyl butyrate, 0.3% geraniol, 0.05% terpineol, 0.4% nerol, 0.06% nerolidol, 0.09% 1-octanol, 0.04% hexanal, 0.06% octanal, 0.4% decanal, 0.13% methylheptenone, 0.03% L-carvone, 0.04% naringenone, and 0.4% alpha-ionone.
In conclusion, L-carvone demonstrates remarkable versatility across diverse applications spanning food and beverage products, oral care formulations, pharmaceutical preparations, personal care items, and emerging specialty uses. As a bulk L-carvone manufacturer and supplier in China, we sell different grades of L-carvone at wholesale prices to clients around the world.