Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail)			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 11, 2020 USD ($)	Oct. 29, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) Facility	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 16, 2020 USD ($)	Aug. 25, 2020 USD ($)	Aug. 24, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 15, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Bank guarantees related to appeals on income tax and indirect tax cases					$ 13,500,000
Available lines of credit					107,200,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net				$ 1,386,920,000	1,380,423,000	$ 1,386,920,000
Bank guarantees and pledged assets to pursue defenses related to other contingencies					20,700,000
Bank guarantees and standby letters of credit
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Bank guarantees and letters of credit outstanding					46,300,000
Pledged assets
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
The amount of pledged assets, principally PP&E to cover income tax and indirect tax assessments					7,200,000
Zhejiang Ingredients Plant
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Gain Contingency, Expected Relocation Payments					13,000,000						$ 50,000,000
Gain Contingency, Relocation Payments Received						$ 30,000,000
Minimum
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimation of possible loss					100,000
Maximum
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimation of possible loss					12,000,000.0
Amended credit facility
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity								$ 2,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000
Amended credit facility | Citibank, N.A.
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity					627,700,000
CHINA
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net					$ 199,000,000
Number of facilities | Facility					7
CHINA | Guangzhou Flavors Plant
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net					$ 60,000,000
CHINA | Guangzhou Fragrance Plant
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net					9,000,000
Nutrition & Biosciences, Inc
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Termination Fee					521,500,000
Nutrition & Biosciences, Inc | Senior Unsecured Bridge Term Loan | Unsecured Debt
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Debt face amount										$ 7,500,000,000
Nutrition & Biosciences, Inc | Senior Unsecured Term Loan Facilities | Unsecured Debt
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Debt face amount										$ 1,250,000,000
Nutrition & Biosciences, Inc | Senior Unsecured Notes | Unsecured Debt
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Debt face amount							$ 6,250,000,000
BRAZIL | Foreign Tax Authority
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Proceeds from Income Tax Refunds			$ 3,500,000	$ 8,000,000.0
BRAZIL | Foreign Tax Authority | BRAZIL
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Proceeds from Income Tax Refunds					$ 2,700,000
Chief Executive Officer
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Compensation Expense	$ 20,000,000	$ 20,000,000