Products offered as Allyl Isothiocyanate (AITC), CAS 57-06-7 can appear on the international market at dramatically different prices — from approximately $10–30 to €200–280 per kilogram and above.
At first sight this seems surprising: the chemical name and CAS number are the same. In commercial terms, however, buyers may be comparing very different products.
Synthetic AITC
Synthetic AITC is produced by chemical synthesis. It is commercially available as a chemical raw material, synthesis intermediate, flavour ingredient and for other industrial applications.
A low price does not necessarily mean low quality. Synthetic AITC may have high chemical purity, while its origin, documentation and suitability for a particular application can differ substantially from those of a natural botanical product.
Natural AITC
Natural AITC is obtained from botanical raw materials. Mustard, including Brassica juncea L., is one important source and contains sinigrin, a natural precursor from which AITC can be formed.
Following enzymatic formation, AITC can be separated and purified. The resulting commercial product may be supplied as Natural Mustard Essential Oil containing ≥97% AITC.
The buyer is therefore purchasing not only the molecule C4H5NS, but also a product with a defined botanical origin and production history.
What creates the price difference?
The price is determined by more than AITC concentration. Important factors include raw-material origin, production method, purification, consistency, analytical control, traceability, documentation, packaging, safe transportation and regulatory suitability for the intended market and application.
For this reason, comparing two offers solely on the basis of “AITC 97–99%, CAS 57-06-7” may be misleading.
Does this mean Natural is always better than Synthetic?
No. For some chemical and technical processes, competitively priced synthetic AITC may be an entirely rational choice.
However, when the buyer requires a natural botanical ingredient, traceable plant origin or appropriate documentation for food and flavour applications, the commercial requirements are different.
Conclusion
CAS identifies the molecule. It does not fully define the commercial product.
This helps explain why offers of AITC at $10, $30, $100, €150 and €280/kg can coexist on the international market.
The right question for a buyer is therefore not only:
but first: