56th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ESSENTIAL OILS

Follow ISEO social media

Invitation

On behalf of the Organising Committee, we are pleased to announce that the 56th International Symposium on Essential Oils (ISEO 2026) will be held from Sunday 6 to Wednesday 9 September 2026 in Grasse, France, at the prestigious Espace Chiris, in the heart of the world’s perfume capital.

Since its creation in 1969, the ISEO has established itself as the leading international event dedicated to the scientific study of essential oils, natural volatile compounds and their derivatives. Over the years, it has brought together up to 400 participants from all over the world, equally representing academia and industry, and covering a wide range of sectors from aromatics, cosmetics and nutraceuticals to pharmaceuticals, aromatherapy, agriculture and regulation.

The 2026 edition, organised by the Olf’Active Association, will continue this long-standing tradition of excellence, offering a multidisciplinary programme exploring the latest scientific, technological, and regulatory advances in the field of essential oils. The symposium will feature plenary lectures, oral communications, poster sessions, round tables, and thematic sessions, encouraging dialogue between researchers, industrial stakeholders, and regulators.

The international scope of ISEO is reflected in the diversity of its participants, coming from Europe, South Africa, Turkey, the United States, Brazil, Chile, Japan, Israel, Egypt, and many other countries. For the past decade, the event has also been recognized and supported by the International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades (IFEAT), a global organization representing over 700 members across 67 countries. In line with its mission to foster innovation and knowledge sharing, IFEAT continues to support the participation of young researchers from both academia and industry through dedicated grants.

Beyond its scientific and technical dimension, ISEO 2026 will serve as a unique platform for networking and international collaboration, opening new perspectives for the future of essential oils and natural volatile products.

After a decade since its last French edition in Nice (2016), the scientific and industrial community eagerly welcomes this long-awaited return to France. Grasse, cradle of perfumery and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018 for its intangible savoir-faire, offers the perfect setting for this exceptional gathering.

We warmly invite you to join us in Grasse for ISEO 2026, to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and celebrate the science and art of essential oils.

Dr. Nicolas Baldovini
President of the ISEO 2026 Organising Committee
Member of the Permanent Scientific Committee of ISEO
Nicolas.BALDOVINI@univ-cotedazur.fr

Dr. Esméralda Cicchetti
Co-founder and Co-director of Olf’Active non profit organization
contact@olfactiveassociation.org

Venue

For centuries, Grasse has embodied the excellence of perfume and has shone internationally thanks to its unique expertise. As the cradle of perfumery, the city has developed exceptional know-how in the cultivation of perfume plants, the extraction of essences and the art of olfactory creation. Its privileged climate favours the cultivation of emblematic flowers such as May rose, jasmine grandiflorum and tuberose, precious raw materials used by the greatest perfume houses. This living heritage, passed down from generation to generation, was recognised in 2018 by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Grasse remains a hub of innovation where artisan perfumers, growers and industry professionals work side by side. Its specialised schools train the creators of tomorrow, thus perpetuating a tradition of excellence. Between museums, workshops and flower fields, the city offers an unforgettable sensory immersion at the very heart of perfume.

The congress venue will be located in the heart of Grasse, at the “Espace Chiris”, set within the former hydrocarbon hall of the historic Chiris factory. Inaugurated in 1899, this distinctive building, soon known as “La Mosquée” due to its oriental-inspired architecture, was the first facility in Grasse dedicated to perfume extraction using solvents. It marked a decisive moment in industrial history, as the Chiris company became the first producer of perfumery raw materials to adapt this technique to an industrial scale.

After the factory’s closure and the disappearance of the Chiris enterprise in the 1980s, the entire site was acquired by the City of Grasse. Listed as a historic monument since 1989, La Mosquée has since been restored and today houses a community hall and sports facilities, combining modern utility with respect for its industrial past.

Within this unique setting, where heritage and renewal converge, the congress will be held in an environment designed to support professional exchanges with both efficiency and character.

(c) Musée International de la Parfumerie, Grasse

About ISEO

International Symposium of Essential oils (ISEO) idea was initiated in 1968 at the GA meeting in Würzburg, Germany during the discussions of Profs. Anders Baerheim Svendsen, Karl-Heinz Kubeczka, Friedrich Wilhelm Hefendehl and Dr. Jan Karlsen.

It was proposed to hold a discussion group for all aspects of essential oils (separation of terpenes, chemistry, chemotaxonomy or other relevant topics regarding the constituents of essential oils).

In 1969, an informal meeting was organized by F. W. Hefendehl (University of Freiburg, FRG), K.-H. Kubeczka (Technical University of Karslruhe, FRG). Dr J. Karlsen and Professor A. Baerheim Svendsen (both State University of Leiden, The Netherlands).

The first Symposia, organized from 1971 to around 1980, were named as Symposium Ätherische Öle and, then, changed into International Symposium on Essential Oils (ISEO).

56 th

1994

The first time in France and in Grasse

Edition in 2026

Committees

Luigi Mondello

President, University of Messina, Italy

Permanent Scientific Committee (PSC)

Humberto Bizzo

Executive Secretary, Embrapa Food Technology, Brazil

Yoshinori Asakawa

Tokushima Bunri University, Japan

Györgyi Horváth

vice-President, University of Pécs, Hungary

Nicolas Baldovini

University Côte d’Azur, France

Hüsnü Can Baser

Near East University, Cyprus

Jonathan Bonello

IFEAT, UK

Carlo Bicchi

University of Turin, Italy

Fatih Demirci

Anadolu University, Turkey

Jan Demyttenaere

European Flavour & Fragrance, Belgium

Hurija Džudžević - Čančar

University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Paola Dugo

University of Messina, Italy

Adam F. Feyaerts

KU Leuven, Belgium

Ana Cristina Figueiredo

University of Lisbon, Portugal

Michael Keusgen

The Philipps University of Marburg, Germany

Toshio Hasegawa

Saitama University, Japan

Eisuke Kuraya

National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College: Nago, Japan

Agnieszka Ludwiczuk

Medical University of Lublin, Poland

Niko Radulović

University of Niš, Serbia

Johannes Novak

University of Veterinary Medicine, Austria

Patrizia Rubiolo

Universtity of Turin, Italy

Iris Stappen

The University of Vienna, Austria

Sandy Van Vuuren

University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Daniel Strub

Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland

Alvaro Viljoen

Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa

Éva Zámboriné-Németh

Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary

Eduardo Dellacassa

University of the Republic of Uruguay, Uruguay

Elena Stashenko

Industrial University of Santander, Colombia

Hussein Fakhry

A. Fakhry & Co. Egypt

Marta Pavarino

University of Turin, Italy

Junior Members

Viktória Baláz

University of Pécs, Hungary

Tania M. G. Salerno

University of Messina, Italy

Anders Baerheim-Svendsen †

University of Oslo, Norway

Honorary Members

Jan Karlsen †

University of Oslo, Norway

Karl-Heinz Kubeczka †

University of Hamburg, Germany

Stanisław Lochyński†

Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland