What are terpenes?
Have you ever wondered what gives plants their specific scent? Why do coniferous forests have such a strong pine aroma? And what gives the fruit such a sweet taste? It's the terpenes! Terpenes are a large and very diverse group of organic compounds, mostly of plant origin. They are highly volatile and highly aromatic. In plants, they are mainly found as part of essential oils in the leaves, fruits, flowers, rhizomes and roots of plants and help to create their flavour and aroma. This brings with it other abilities - thanks to the scent, plants are able to attract or protect themselves from other organisms. And just as terpenes work on pollinators or pests, they also work on us. A tempting aroma that we can't get enough of.
About 140 chemicals and compounds found in cannabis also belong to this group of aromatic hydrocarbons. But terpenes are also found outside plants. They're all around us.
For chemistry fans
If we break down terpenes chemically, terpenes are organic compounds composed of compounds with the formula (C5H8)n. Their molecules consist of two or more isoprene units. Isoprene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon that serves as a building block for the formation of natural substances such as terpenes and steroids. Terpenes can be divided according to the number of isoprene units or structure. In their base they are colourless and highly non-polar (they cannot be dissolved in water).
Where are terpenes found?
Next to methane, terpenes are the most common volatile organic compound in the atmosphere. To put it simply, they are just everywhere. We find them in plants, fruits, spices and herbs - in everything that smells.
Terpenes are able to react perfectly to their environment and thus change their aroma. For example, some herbs acquire a stronger or milder aroma when dried. With our complex ability to observe and interact with the outside world, terpenes are vital to our identification and evaluation of fruits, vegetables and spices. In addition, it affects each organism individually. Some people may find the scent of lilac irresistible and others may find it completely repulsive.