Product Odor in Disposable Hygiene

Transcription

1 Product Odor in Disposable Hygiene

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Overview... 4 The Science of Odor... 4 The Source of an Odor... 5 Perception and the Olfactory System... 6 Odor Measurement Methodologies... 7 Sphere of Odors... 8 Overcoming Complexity... 9 Conclusion... 10

3 Odor of a disposable hygiene product while in use is, to some degree, to be expected. But odor of the product itself, when it comes out of its packaging before use, is generally unexpected and unwelcome. Pinpointing the source of that odor can be extremely challenging. Yet, with the demand for odor-free products growing, we need reliable methods to meet that challenge. SMART INSIGHTS & EXPERTISE FOR THE DISPOSABLE HYGIENE PRODUCTS INDUSTRY 3/ , 2017 Bostik, Inc. Bostik Global Nonwovens 3

4 EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW The odor of a disposable hygiene product plays a large role in consumer satisfaction. Since every material in a disposable hygiene product contributes to overall odor, even minimal alterations in substrates, adhesives and processing can affect it. Trends toward chemical-free, all-natural and less pollution are making the issue even more challenging. Add in the difficulties of testing and measuring odor, and it s obvious that finding a solution is a difficult process. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on how humans perceive odor, and how those The Science of Odor Consumer complaints regarding disposable hygiene product odor have increased in recent years. While the sense of an odor is very evocative, the source of odor and how to identify it continue to be challenging within the hygiene industry. Here s what we do know: The combination of one or more volatile chemical compounds perceived by the sense of smell causes an odor. The odor signal, or reaction to odor, that is triggered depends on an individual s sensors and culture. Perception is key to determining the acceptability of anything, especially an odor. Our senses are perception reactors, and they impact the final identification of a stimulus. It only takes a split second for your senses to perceive whether something smells pleasant or unpleasant to you. perceptions can be used in a scientific manner to measure, identify and eliminate odor from disposable hygiene products before use. HIGHLIGHTS Supported by the thought leadership of Bostik s Disposable Hygiene Business Unit and Bostik s parent company Arkema, this white paper offers ideas for best practices for identifying and testing product odor. Insights include: Why? Disposable hygiene product odor before use is present in baby care, feminine care and adult care products. Consumer complaints related to odor largely originated in Europe and Asia and are now reported, albeit in varied numbers, globally. What causes product odor and what can be done about it? How? Though challenging, it is possible to identify and eliminate product odor through the use of sensory panels and analytical techniques. 4

5 The Source of an Odor All materials that make up a disposable hygiene product create an overall odor profile and can contribute to product odor. The interaction of these materials results in the final odor by the offsetting and combining of individual material odors, complicating the identity of an odor source. Raw Materials. Raw materials are one cause of odor in certain products. With industry trends moving toward thinner cores and thinner disposable hygiene products overall, there is a need for new technology in the products that make up a thin core. Does less pulp equal more odor? Does the rebalancing of raw material ratios result in a different, unpleasant odor? SAP Pulp Film Elastic Adhesive Nonwovens The offsetting and combining of all materials that make up disposable hygiene products contribute to an overall odor profile. The combination of all these materials makes it challenging to detect exactly which material or materials are causing product malodor. If we consider the overall supply chain from material makeup to consumer use, a handful of possibilities have been identified as potentially influencing odor: Article Manufacturing. The whole world is moving faster, and this trend is not lost on article manufacturing lines. It s important for companies to speed up production lines to produce products as quickly as possible. Somewhere along the way in this relatively new speedy process, certain actions can cause product odor. Are faster lines or more compressed packaging trapping volatiles and causing odor? Distribution Channels. The time between the production of an article and consumer use can potentially affect product odor. The time between a product leaving a production facility and being received by a consumer is shortening, thus decreasing the time and opportunity for residual odor to settle and decrease. Will the evolution and growth of e-commerce further complicate this issue? Consumer Trends. There s an overall trend moving toward the preference for natural products: those that are free of chemicals, sustainable and don t contribute to pollution. Perhaps consumers are becoming more sensitive to anything that has a smell that can be associated with chemicals? It s interesting to note that companies receive fewer complaints about scented products than non-scented products. This leads producers to wonder if the perfumed scent of the product masks baseline product odor or if there actually is an absence of odor. The source of product odor is equally difficult to pinpoint in non-scented articles. Has there truly been a change in the odor of a product, or has there been no change, but rather an increase in awareness from consumers especially with growing concerns about exposure to chemicals? 5

6 Perception and the Olfactory System Perception is key to determining the acceptability of anything, especially a potentially foul odor. All individuals have perception preferences of which they are not actively aware. The five senses are perception reactors; and they impact the final identification of a stimulus. All our senses impact our final odor identification. For humans to detect an odor, odorous molecules travel through nasal mucus and are transferred to olfactory receptors. If enough molecules are received, a signal is sent to the brain, resulting in odor perception. Humans have over 300 genes dedicated to olfaction. This suggests that there is little probability that two people will ever perceive odor the same exact way. There are also many differences in regional and cultural perceptions of odor. Take, for example, the durian fruit. Native to Southeast Asia, this fruit emits a remarkably strong odor that Asians are used to, but tourists can find repulsive. The durian odor described as a mix of rotten onions and raw sewage is acceptable in Asia as Asians are used to its strong smell, but at first it is highly offensive to other cultures. Much like the durian fruit, the odor of a disposable hygiene product that is considered to be offensive or unacceptable in one region might be perfectly acceptable in another. ODOR Olfactory Nerve ODOR Olfactory Nerve Nasal Mucus Source of Odor 6 Bostik Global Nonwovens

7 Odor Measurement Methodologies There are multiple ways to measure odor, but no standard method. In this case, the best approach is to leverage existing demonstrated best practices. Pleasure stimulus There are two categories of common methodologies: analytical techniques and sensory panels. Analytical Techniques. The chemical footprint of an odor is typically determined by analyzed methods, such as gas chromatography linked to a receptor or detector. These techniques allow separation and identification of volatile compounds, and can also be coupled with sensory panels to directly link a volatile compound to its odor. Analytical techniques have some limitations. One reason analytical techniques can pose a challenge is because not all volatiles have an odor. Similarly, not all odor-generating compounds can be detected by analytical techniques even when coupled with sensory panels. Sensory Panels. Odor experts also can measure product odor through sensory panels. A sensory panel is comprised of a group of trained individuals who evaluate odor in a standardized way to provide information on intensity, description and like or dislike. A control is necessary as a calibrating element. HEDONIC Nature stimulus QUALITY Intensity stimulus There are many challenges that a sensory panel can face. Some major challenges include: Repeatability Reproducibility Cultural/personal bias and sensitivity Vocabulary The lack of test method standardization in the industry To overcome these challenges, a sensory panel must be extensively trained to ensure that panel results are not based on personal preference. When measuring odors via human sensory panels, odor experts traditionally break down the perception of odor along three axes: 1. Nature or characteristics of the odor, which is an objective description 2. Hedonic tone, which is a subjective measure of the pleasantness or unpleasantness of an odor 3. Perceived intensity of an odor 3/ , 2017 Bostik, Inc. Bostik Global Nonwovens 7

8 Recognizing these problems and to ensure standardized testing, Bostik created the Sphere of Odors methodology. The sphere not only gives Bostik s team of odor experts a common vocabulary to describe odors, but enables them to actually visualize the space where molecules exist and how they interact. With an understanding of the intensity and persistence of a molecule, as well as how it interacts with other classes, the odor team is able to function from a collective response to specific odors. With this knowledge, odor experts are better able to detect odors and their source(s) and suggest feasible solutions. Because acceptable odor profiles vary by regions, Bostik has specially trained odor teams in each region. THE BOSTIK SPHERE OF ODORS fruity citrus botanical fruity citrus botanical fruity fruity This 3-D representation of the 45 most commonly reoccurring molecules is divided into 9 dominant classes. Each of the 45 molecules is placed into its group based not only on its odor characteristic, but also its chemical structure. For example, each of the molecules in the Botanical group contains an aromatic ring as part of its chemical structure. Groups and the molecules within them are arranged top to bottom according to their speed of perception, with those fastest to perceive toward the top and the slowest toward the bottom. The size of the molecule determines its trip. Also, the molecule s placement within the sphere relates to its speed of persistence: those in the center of the sphere linger longer, while those on the surface dissipate quickly. 8 Bostik Global Nonwovens 3/ , 2017 Bostik, Inc.

9 Overcoming Complexity To be able to reduce or eliminate an odor, we have to capture exactly where product odor comes from, when it s evident, to whom it s evident and what causes it. The combination of a sensory panel and analytical techniques gives researchers the best chance to determine exactly what molecule (or combination of molecules) is at the origin of product odor. sensory panel + analytical = combination QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE Odor description Odor intensity Hedonic tone 3/ , 2017 Bostik, Inc. While offering the best results, using this combination can be a complex undertaking. Some raw material odors can t be detected in final product odor. To further complicate the testing process, odors can sometimes amplify each other or cancel each other out. It s best to leverage the expertise of odor experts, such as those at Bostik, to pinpoint the source of product odor and work together to investigate possible solutions. VOC MEASUREMENT FULL INVESTIGATION where is odor coming from, what is causing odor (which chemical) Bostik Global Nonwovens 9

10 CONCLUSION Finding the root cause of product odor is a very complex process. In order to meet the needs and expectations of the consumer, producers must collect sufficient data to understand the context of the odor, when it occurs, how it s described and by whom. Technical experts must then analyze the data and identify the preferred approach to pinpoint the source of odor and its root cause. After this challenging process is completed, a solutions path (such as odor control or odor masking) can be evaluated and implemented to optimize the product s odor. TOMORROW S WINS ARE DRIVEN BY TODAY S COLLABORATION The next wave of disposable hygiene innovations are likely to be the result of greater collaboration between the producers of baby care, adult care and feminine care products and their suppliers, including adhesive partners. As a producer, you ll want to establish partnerships with companies that have a broad range of products, expertise in the disposable hygiene industry and a reputation for innovative thinking. Then, share your challenges. Urge partners to collaborate. The best suppliers will always be a step ahead of you and ready with the ideas you need to keep moving forward. 10 Bostik Global Nonwovens 3/ , 2017 Bostik, Inc.

11 ABOUT BOSTIK GLOBAL NONWOVENS Fueled by a deep understanding of the hygiene market s current and future needs, Bostik Global Nonwovens creates smart adhesive solutions. Our culture of continuous improvement is powered by our people, their ideas and the drive to make things better. We apply our extensive materials science knowledge and formulation and application expertise to provide pioneering adhesive solutions that enhance our customers success and advance the hygiene industry worldwide. ABOUT BOSTIK, AN ARKEMA COMPANY Bostik is a leading global adhesive specialist in industrial manufacturing, construction and consumer markets. For more than a century, we have been developing innovative adhesive solutions that are smarter and more adaptive to the forces that shape our daily lives. From cradle to grave, from home to office, Bostik s smart adhesives can be found everywhere. With 2015 sales of 1.6 billion, the company employs 4,900 people and has a presence in more than 40 countries.

12 A dedicated Bostik team where you need it UNITED STATES Wauwatosa, WI ARGENTINA Buenos Aires BRAZIL Sao Paulo CHINA Shanghai EGYPT Cairo INDIA Bangalore JAPAN Osaka MEXICO Naucalpan de Juarez THE NETHERLANDS Roosendaal Bostik Global Nonwovens an Arkema Company 4/ , 2017 Bostik, Inc.