Essential oils are odorous components of plants and plant materials that are the characteristic odors of the materials from, which they are extracted.
By strict definition, essential oils are always a product of steam distillation.
Essential oils are mixtures of hundred components. For example, it has been found that orange oil contains 34 alcohols, 30 esters, 20 aldehydes, 14 ketones, 10 carboxylic acids and 36 varieties of terpenes.
Essential oils are volatile liquid.
Essential oils are found in all distinctly aromatic plants. These constituents can be effected by a vast number of variables including: the parts of the plant from which the oil was produced, soil condition, fertilizer, geographical region, climate, altitude, harvest season and methods and titillation process.
The volatile nature and strong aroma distinguishes essential oil from fatty oils.
Fruit extracts have been used as flavorings, but these are relatively weak when compared to essential oils and oleoresins. An oleoresin is a solvent extract of spices from which the solvent, usually a hydrocarbon, has been removed by distillation.
Among the necessities of today’s world are perfumery products, several of which are based on essential oils and aromatic chemicals, obtained from different plants species. Many of these herbs and essential oil plants have long been the basic ingredients t ancient perfumery and still hold an important place in the modern flavoring field.
Other names for essential oils include “volatile oil”, “etheric oils”, “ethereal oils,” “aromatic oils,” and “essences”.
What is Essential Oil
