Food and chemicals? That doesn't sound too reassuring – except if you stop to think about it and take a look at your kitchen, whether you're a great cook and have a state-of-the-art kitchen, or you could not be bothered and have a very basic one.
Aromatics in the kitchen make the things we do there both safer and more comfortable. Suppose it is Sunday morning and you want to fry a couple of eggs and make a cheese sandwich. First, you head for the refrigerator. Did you know that the fridge itself is made using several kinds of aromatics-derived products?
Interior panels are most often made out of tough, corrosion-resistant plastics such as ABS or high-impact polystyrene; clear, see-through drawers and compartments are made out of polystyrene or polycarbonate.

More importantly, the foamed polyurethane, derived from toluene, used between the moulded panels of your fridge help keep the cold from dissipating. This means that your fridge can stay cool while saving you money on your electricity bill.

Then for the eggs and the cheese. Eggs usually come in the traditional polystyrene egg carton, the polystyrene protecting the eggs against breaking and spilling, obviously, but also providing a layer of insulation that protects against freezer burn. As for the cheese, it probably comes on a foam tray with a clear, film overwrap – which means that you don't have to worry about other shoppers manipulating it with unwashed hands. Proper food handling and packaging helps protect you from foodborne illness.

We could go on endlessly. Your gas-burner, microwave oven, coffee machine, pots and pans, milk bottles and yoghurt pots, meat trays, even the cutlery sometimes... All these modern – and not-so-modern – appliances rely on the input of the aromatics industry. They make the appliances and the food safer and easier to use.

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