RIFM Sets Global Standard for Fragrance Safety in 2025

Award-winning research, non-animal testing innovations, and worldwide collaborations highlight a year of scientific leadership and real-world impact.

MAHWAH, N.J., Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) capped 2025 with a year of major scientific milestones, global collaboration, and expanding transparency in fragrance safety. From pioneering next-generation, non-animal testing methods to strengthening exposure and environmental assessment tools, RIFM's work continues to set the global standard for safe, sustainable fragrance use.

"Science only has impact when it is both trusted and accessible," said Anne Marie Api, PhD, Fellow ATS, President of RIFM. "This year, our team and partners advanced innovative approaches that deepen our understanding of fragrance safety and continue to support sustainable, non-animal science guiding global decision-making."

RIFM researchers earned international recognition for award-winning studies, including breakthroughs in environmental safety and genotoxicity, and were featured in leading media outlets such as Good Housekeeping and Refinery29. In September, RIFM hosted INFOX 2025 in Paris, bringing together fragrance safety stakeholders from around the world to share insights, exchange knowledge, and explore the latest developments in fragrance safety science. The event highlighted both ongoing initiatives and emerging research, reinforcing RIFM's role as a global hub for advancing fragrance safety. Across five continents, RIFM scientists shared research, led workshops, and mentored emerging talent, showcasing the real-world relevance and collaborative reach of fragrance safety science.

"RIFM's continued progress affirms the power of science-led collaboration," said RIFM Board Chair Ron Stark, President & CEO of Bell Flavors & Fragrances. "Our members, researchers, and partners are shaping a safer, more sustainable future for fragrance built on transparency, credibility, and shared purpose."

RIFM also marked 10 years of open-access peer-reviewed publications, making more than 2,300 fragrance ingredient safety assessments available via the Fragrance Material Safety Resource Center. New short and long-form educational videos help explain complex science, from allergic contact dermatitis to environmental risk, making fragrance safety more accessible to industry, regulators, and the public.

Learn more about RIFM's 2025 accomplishments and global impact 

About RIFM

RIFM is an independent international non-profit scientific organization that assesses the safety of fragrance ingredients by the most current, internationally accepted guidelines—and has done so since its founding in 1966. RIFM's peer-reviewed safety assessments and research are free to the public via fragrancematerialsafetyresource.elsevier.com.

Media Contact:

The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM)
Gary Sullivan
Marketing & Communications Manager
[email protected]

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SOURCE Research Institute for Fragrance Materials