Short answer
Every raw material delivery should be checked before it goes into stock: that it is what you ordered, that its documents match the lot, that it looks and smells like your reference for that material, and — if you have the equipment — that a simple physical property such as density falls in the specification's range. Keep new lots separate until they pass, record the result against the lot, and keep a retained sample. The routine takes minutes for most materials and is the cheapest way to stop a wrong, mislabeled or degraded material from reaching a batch.
What can go wrong with a delivery
- The wrong material, or the wrong grade, chemotype or dilution.
- A label, certificate and lot number that do not agree.
- A material that has oxidized or been stored badly in transit.
- A natural material that differs markedly from your previous lot.
- Contamination or adulteration — rare, but more likely with expensive naturals.
A supplier change is a bigger event with its own process, covered in documenting raw material supplier changes. This article is about the routine check on every lot, including repeat orders from a supplier you trust.
The check, step by step
1. Paperwork
- The material, grade and quantity match the order.
- The lot number on the container matches the certificate of analysis.
- The safety data sheet is current; file a new version if it has changed.
- Any IFRA certificate or allergen statement covers this product (and, if dated, is current).
- The container is intact, sealed and labeled; there is a best-before or retest date if the supplier gives one.
What each document is for is explained in fragrance material SDS and specifications.
2. Appearance
Look at a small amount in a clear glass vial against white and dark backgrounds. Check color, clarity and any sediment against the specification's description and your previous lot. Some materials darken naturally with age; a sharp difference on arrival is a question for the supplier.
3. Odor against a reference
This is the most informative check a small lab can do. Dip two blotters at the same dilution — one from the new lot, one from your retained sample of the previous approved lot — and compare them side by side, at once and again after an hour or more. You are looking for differences in character, strength and any off-notes (rancid, sour, harsh, solvent-like). Write down what you find even if it is "no difference".
4. A physical measurement (optional)
Specifications usually give a range for density or specific gravity and refractive index. Density needs only a balance and a volumetric flask — see how to measure density — and catches gross errors such as a diluted or wrong material. Refractive index needs a refractometer, which many small labs do not have.
5. Decide and record
| Result | Action |
|---|---|
| All checks match | Release to stock; record "approved" with date and initials |
| Minor odor difference in a natural | Release with a note; evaluate formulas that depend on it before the next production batch |
| Documents missing or mismatched | Hold; ask the supplier |
| Clear odor or appearance problem | Hold; contact the supplier; do not use |
Retained samples
Keep a small, sealed, labeled sample of every approved lot, stored cool and dark. It is the reference for the next delivery and the evidence if a batch made with that lot is ever questioned. How long to keep them depends on how long your products are on the market; see how long to keep formula records.
Records
For each lot: date received, supplier, lot number, quantity, the result of each check, the decision, and who made it. Link the lot to the material record so that every batch that uses it can be traced — the subject of perfume batch numbers and lot codes. The material record itself is described in perfume raw material documentation. In RUŌOD Lab, a material's supplier and stock quantity are standard fields; lot-by-lot receiving records can be kept as custom fields or in notes, or in a separate log if you receive many lots.
Frequently asked questions
Is an odor check really enough without lab equipment?
It is not a full analysis, but a trained nose comparing against a retained sample catches the problems most likely to affect a small brand: wrong material, wrong grade, and degraded material. For expensive naturals where adulteration is a concern, ask for a GC profile on the certificate; see GC-MS for perfumers.
Do I need to check small sample bottles?
Check that they are what they say and file their documents. A full comparison only matters once a material is going into products.
Written and reviewed by the RUŌOD Lab team. This article is general education about perfume formulation and record-keeping; it is not legal, regulatory or safety advice, and the examples are illustrations, not validated commercial formulas. How we write and check these guides.