Overview
EN ISO 9235:2021 - Aromatic natural raw materials: Vocabulary (ISO 9235:2021) is a standardized vocabulary published by CEN/ISO that defines terms and definitions used across the essential oils and aromatic raw materials sector. The third edition (2021) replaces EN ISO 9235:2013 and was prepared by ISO/TC 54 (Essential oils) in collaboration with CEN/SS C01. It provides a common language for describing products such as essential oils, extracts, concretes, absolutes, oleoresins, hydrolates and related material classes.
Key Topics
- Scope: Specifies terms and definitions relating to aromatic natural raw materials; no normative references.
- Core product definitions: Essential oil, cold-pressed essential oil, dry-distilled essential oil, essential oil of fruit juice.
- Extract and concentrate types: Concrete, absolute, resinoid, supercritical fluid extract, concentrated essential oil, volatile concentrate.
- Exudates and derivatives: Exudate, gum, resin, gum oleoresin, gum resin, oleoresin (natural and extracted).
- Processing-related terms: Distillate, alcoholate, tincture and infusion, rectified essential oil, post-treated essential oil, terpeneless/terpeneless-and-sesquiterpeneless oils.
- Water products: Aromatic water / hydrolate and the newly specified native aromatic water (added in 2021).
- Supporting material: Thematic index and alphabetical index for quick reference.
- Editorial updates: The 2021 edition includes a modified definition (3.13) and the addition of 3.19 (native aromatic water).
Practical Applications
- Standardizes terminology for product specifications, labels and safety data sheets (SDS) used by manufacturers, suppliers and regulators.
- Supports consistent communication in procurement, contracts and international trade of aromatic raw materials and essential oils.
- Helps laboratories, quality control and R&D teams classify samples, report results and prepare technical documentation.
- Useful for perfumery, flavor industries, cosmetics, food ingredient suppliers and certification schemes requiring uniform definitions.
- A reference for training materials, glossaries and regulatory dossiers where precise vocabulary reduces ambiguity.
Who uses this standard
- Essential oil producers and extract manufacturers
- Perfumers, flavorists and cosmetic formulators
- Quality assurance, regulatory and procurement teams
- Testing laboratories and certification bodies
- Standards organizations and technical committees
Related standards / notes
- Published as ISO 9235:2021 and endorsed by CEN as EN ISO 9235:2021 (available in English, French and German).
- Prepared by ISO/TC 54 in collaboration with CEN/SS C01; consult national standards bodies for implementation and national adoption details.
Keywords: EN ISO 9235:2021, ISO 9235:2021, aromatic natural raw materials, essential oils, hydrolate, concrete, absolute, oleoresin, vocabulary, CEN.
