BASF Aroma Ingredients has added Isobionics® Natural alpha-Farnesene 95 to its portfolio of natural flavour ingredients for lime applications. The ingredient, produced through fermentation technology at the company's Geleen facility in the Netherlands, offers a purity level exceeding 95%.

The ingredient delivers a vegetable odour profile with celery notes, followed by sappy, plant stem-like characteristics and fruit skin. At 10 ppm, the taste profile includes sappy, slightly floral and waxy apple/pear skin notes, along with citrus, white flower and ocimene elements.

Alpha-Farnesene 95 is designed for use in lime essential oil applications, beverages, confectionery and citrus or fruit flavour formulations. The fermentation process uses renewable raw materials and operates independently of agricultural variables such as weather patterns or harvest timing.

The ingredient meets EU and US food-grade regulations (FLAVIS 01.040, FEMA 3839) and carries EU and US natural status. It is pesticide-free, with regular testing conducted according to DIN-EN 15662 standards, and holds kosher, halal and FSSC 22000 certification.

BASF's Isobionics range for lime applications now includes four commercially available natural ingredients: alpha-Farnesene 95, beta-Bisabolene 90, trans-alpha-Bergamotene 80 and beta-Caryophyllene 80. According to Giovanni D'Andola, Flavour Launch Manager at BASF, this collection of natural sesquiterpene ingredients for lime oil applications represents a distinctive market offering.

The Isobionics facility in Geleen operates as part of BASF's aroma ingredients business, which sits within the company's Nutrition & Care segment. BASF reported total sales of €65.3 billion in 2024.