Laboratories involved : CSIR - CIMAP, CSIR -IIIM, CSIR - NEIST

Citral is present in the oils of several plants, including lemon myrtle (90–98%), Litsea citrata (90%), Litsea cubeba (70–85%), lemongrass (65–85%), lemon tea-tree (70–80%), Ocimum gratissimum (66.5%), Lindera citriodora (about 65%), Calypranthes parriculata (about 62%), petitgrain (36%), lemon verbena (30–35%), lemon ironbark (26%), lemon balm (11%), lime (6–9%), lemon (2–5%), and orange. Citral is an aroma compound used in perfumery for its citrus effect. Citral is also used as a flavor and for fortifying lemon oil. It also has strong antimicrobial qualities and pheromonal effects in insects. Citral is used in the synthesis of vitamin A, ionone, and methylionone, to mask the smell of smoke.

Methyl eugenol is a phenylpropanoid chemical directly derived from eugenol, a product from phenylalanine (an essential amino acid) through caffeic acid and ferulic acid via ‘the shikimate pathway'. It is a common phenylpropanoid found in many plant species, particularly in spices and medicinal plants. Furthermore, this chemical can be converted to other useful phenylpropanoids either to elemicin or myristicin, and then, in the latter compound, to dillapiole, via the regulation of two genes in Perilla frutescens (Lamiaceae).

Synthetic ME has been used extensively: a) as a flavoring agent in many types of processed food, soft drinks, and sauces, b) in perfumery, and c) as an essential oil in aromatherapy.

Elemicin is a constituent of the oleoresin and the essential oil of Canarium luzonicum (also referred to as elemi). Elemicin is named after this tree. One study found it to comprise 2.4% of the fresh essential oil. Elemicin is also present in the oils of the spices nutmeg and mace, with it comprising 2.4% and 10.5% of those oils respectively. Elemicin has been used to synthesize the alkaloid mescaline.