Marjoram Essential Oil Extraction Processing

The characteristics and content of marjoram essential oil are closely related to its variety, origin and extraction process. The following are its main characteristics and the content range of typical components:

I. Essential oil characteristics

1. Physical properties

Color: Usually light yellow to light green, and may be close to colorless when the purity is high.

Texture: Light and thin, with good fluidity, and has the aroma of natural herbs.

Smell: It exudes a warm, slightly spicy herbal scent, mixed with a mixed aroma similar to oregano and mint, and the back tone has a calm feeling of woody tones.

2. Chemical properties

Main ingredient types: Mainly monoterpenes, phenols, and ester compounds, and the ingredients of different varieties vary greatly (such as sweet marjoram and wild marjoram have different ingredients).

Volatility: It belongs to medium-to-high volatility essential oils, the aroma diffuses quickly, and the fragrance lasts for a medium time.

II. Core ingredients and content (typical range)

1. Monoterpenoids

Terpinene-4-ol: The content is about 10%~25%, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and is one of the main components of marjoram essential oil to exert its soothing effect.

α-Pinpinene: The content is about 5%~15%, which gives the essential oil a fresh herbal aroma and has certain antioxidant activity.

Paracymene: The content is about 5%~10%, which has mild antibacterial properties and is often used in respiratory care.

2. Phenolic compounds

Thymol: The content in some varieties (such as wild marjoram) is about 5%~12%, which has strong antibacterial power, but high concentrations may irritate the skin, so it is necessary to pay attention to dilution.

Carvacrol: The content is usually less than 5%, and it synergizes with thymol to exert antibacterial effects and enhance the anti-inflammatory effect of essential oils.

3. Ester compounds

Bornyl acetate: The content is about 8%~15%, which gives the essential oil a gentle and soothing property, helping to relieve muscle spasms and emotional tension.

Terpineol acetate: The content is about 5%~10%, which has a relaxing effect on the nerves and is often used to help sleep and regulate stress.

4. Other ingredients

Bornyl: The content is about 3%~8%, which has a cooling feeling and can help relieve respiratory discomfort.

Camphor: The content is usually less than 5%. When present in small amounts, it can enhance the penetration of the aroma, but high concentrations may cause irritation (the amount used needs to be controlled).

III. The impact of variety differences on ingredients

Sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana): The content of esters (such as bornyl acetate) is higher, the smell is milder, and it is suitable for daily soothing care.

Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare): The content of phenols (thymol, carvacrol) is higher, and the antibacterial power is strong, but the irritation is also strong, so it needs to be used with caution.

Note

The specific content of ingredients will fluctuate due to the plant growth cycle, the picking part (flowers, leaves, stems) and the distillation process (such as temperature and time). The above is a common range for reference.

When purchasing, it is recommended to choose a professional brand of GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) test report to confirm the safety and purity of the ingredients.

The process of marjoram distillation is mainly to extract its aromatic components through steam distillation. The following are the key steps:

Raw material preparation

Pick fresh marjoram (leaves, flower stems, etc.), remove impurities, chop or crush appropriately to increase the contact area with water vapor.

Set up the distillation device

Put the raw materials into the distillation kettle (or stainless steel container), add an appropriate amount of clean water, and the water level is slightly higher than the raw materials.

Connect a condensing device (such as a serpentine condenser) to ensure that the steam generated during the distillation process can be effectively condensed into liquid.

Heating distillation

Heat the distillation kettle to boil the water to produce water vapor, which drives the volatile components in marjoram (such as essential oils) to evaporate together to form a steam mixture.

Control the heating temperature and speed to avoid excessive temperature that damages the ingredients, and usually keep it in a gentle boiling state.

Condensation and collection

The steam is cooled and liquefied through the condenser to form a mixture containing essential oil and water (i.e., "distillate"), which flows into the collection container.

Since essential oils are insoluble in water and their density is usually less than that of water, the essential oils will float on the water surface after standing, and can be separated by a separatory funnel to obtain marjoram essential oil.

Subsequent processing

If high-purity essential oils are required, the distillate can be distilled twice, or impurities can be removed by filtration.

This process uses water vapor to bring out the aromatic components in the plant. It is a common method for extracting natural essential oils and can better preserve the aroma and active ingredients of marjoram.