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Why does cassia oil have a strong cinnamon-like aroma?

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Cassia oil possesses a strong, cinnamon-like aroma primarily because its main chemical component is cinnamic aldehyde.1

This compound is the same principal constituent found in the essential oil of true cinnamon, which accounts for the shared aromatic profile between the two related species. While cassia and true cinnamon are distinct, both belong to the Lauraceae family and the genus Cinnamomum, explaining their similar sensory characteristics.12