Mace Extract

#### Mace Extract. Because of the considerable amount of odorless alcohol-soluble matter (ballast materials) contained in nutmegs (see **Nutmeg**** ****Extract**), mace (the dried arillodes) has been suggested as a starting material for the production of aromatic extracts. Mace does not contain significant amounts of fixed oil or other odorless matter, soluble in hot alcohol. On the other hand, it should be kept in mind that for every ton of dried nutmegs harvested, there are only 50 or 60 kilos of dried mace. But the demand is rather small for perfumery use, and the perfume industry can afford to be particular in such cases. The dried comminuted mace is extracted with alcohol. After removal of the solvent under gentle vacuum, a viscous, orange-red or brownish- amber colored liquid is produced in a yield of 12 to 14 percent of the dry arillode. Since this is a product of hot extraction, it is not a true absolute, but it is generally called **Mace Extract**. It is soluble in almost any perfume or flavor material. The odor is fresh and spicy with a warm, rich and almost balsamic undertone. There are no sharp or pungent terpene-like notes or "rubber-like" top- note such as can be experienced with nutmeg oil. Its flavor is warm, slightly pungent at higher concentrations, sweet and aromatic-spicy with an excellent masking effect. The power seems immediately rather moderate since there is no "lift" from monoterpenes in this product. Suggested use level is 2 to 4 mg%, and the **Minimum Perceptible **is 0.30 to 0.80 mg%. In flavor work, it gives a very close reproduction of the natural spice; it may even be classified as an improved edition of the natural spice with respect to organoleptic performance and overall attractiveness. It is furthermore one of the most concentrated forms of the nutmeg/mace flavor. It has the great advantage over the essential oils of nutmeg and mace in that it contains less terpenes, and accordingly is more stable in aqueous and acid flavor media, a condition under which nutmeg and mace are frequently used (pickles, sauces, seasonings, etc.). With lime oil, cinnamon bark oil, bitter orange oil, cardamom oil, ginger oil, etc., it produces the most delightfully rich aromatic-spicy flavor blends, and its excellent masking effect is known and utilized in the food industry (cabbage odors, etc.). In perfumery, mace extract finds some use along with other spicy and warm-aromatic materials for "men's colognes", after-shaves, fougères, chypres, in modern fantasy lotion perfumes, etc. It blends well with geraniol, nerol, lavandin absolute, oak- moss products, linalool, coriander oil, sage clary oil, terpineol, petitgrain oil, lime oil, mandarin oil, rosemary oil, etc. **Mace**** ****Extract**** **is also available as an **Ultrasonic**** ****Extract**, and this material, too, seems to have a good future in the perfume and flavor industries. Due to the special method of production, however, the ultrasonic extract is generally more suitable for flavors than for perfumes. See also **Nutmeg**** ****Extract**** **and **Nutmeg**** ****Oil.**