A systematic approach to the scientific reproduction of historical smells : case study of a 20th-century perfume flask

Paolin, Emma (author), Di Gianvincenzo, Fabiana (author), Torres-Elguera, Julio Cesar (author), Ramšak, Mojca (author), Kralj Cigić, Irena (author), Sawoszczuk, Tomasz (author), Strlič, Matija (author)

Reproduction of smells of historical objects presents an analytical challenge due to the non-linear relationship between chemical concentration and sensory perception. This paper investigates the development of a sensomic-based pipeline for the smell reproduction of historical scents, with an early 20th-century perfume flask as the case study. The goal was to reproduce the current smell rather than the original perfume formulation, establishing a methodology transferable to other heritage objects. Our methodology couples traditional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with olfactory detection (GC-MS/O), enabling the determination of the odour-active compounds responsible for the object’s olfactory profile. By determining odour activity values (OAVs), compounds were ranked based on the sensory impact, and 13 compounds were selected as significant for the olfactory profile. Validation proceeded through chemical analysis, omission tests, and sensory assessment by a panel (n = 70) with trained and untrained panellists. Statistical analysis confirmed no significant difference between the original perfume and the reproduction.

• Language: English
• Keywords: heritage smells, GC/MS, olfactometry, sensory analysis, smell reproduction
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 13 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, art. 488
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-188112
• UDC: 543.544.3:543.51:159.933:7.025
• ISSN on article: 3059-3220
• DOI: 10.1038/s40494-026-02699-x
• COBISS.SI-ID: 291221251
• Publication date in RUL: 18.09.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Npj heritage science
• Shortened title: npj herit. sci.
• Publisher: Nature Portfolio
• ISSN: 3059-3220
• COBISS.SI-ID: 237419523

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: dediščinski vonji, GC/MS, olfaktometrija, senzorična analiza, reprodukcija vonja