Oleoresin Distillation

The key difference between oleoresins and essential oils is that oleoresins are natural mixtures of essential oils and resins extracted from plant sources, while essential oils are concentrated liquids containing the fragrant essences of plants. Oleoresins and essential oils are important chemicals derived from plant sources. These substances also have different uses.

Essential oil, also known as volatile oil, is extracted from the flowers, stems, fruits and other parts of aromatic plants using methods such as steam distillation or supercritical extraction. Most of them are colorless or slightly Light yellow transparent liquid. The main ingredients are small volatile compounds such as terpenes, aliphatic and aromatic compounds, which are mutually soluble with vegetable oils, insoluble in water, and have antibacterial and other effects.

Oleoresin refers to a thick, resinous product containing essential oils produced by using appropriate solvents to extract the aroma and taste components from spice raw materials as much as possible, and then recovering the solvent by distillation. Its main ingredients include: essential oils, spicy ingredients, pigments, resins and some non-volatile oils and polysaccharides. Compared with essential oils, oleoresin has a richer aroma, fuller taste, and has antibacterial, antioxidant and other functions. Oleoresin can greatly improve the utilization of active ingredients in spice plants. For example, if cinnamon is used directly for cooking, only 25% of the active ingredients can be utilized, while when made into oleoresin, it can reach more than 95%. It can be seen that essential oils and oleoresins have become an important development direction of spices.

Botanical natural flavors are a mixture of organic substances separated or refined by physical methods from flowers, fruits, leaves, stems, roots, barks, seeds or resins of various aromatic plants. Most of them are in the form of oil or paste, and a few are in the form of oil or paste. Resin or semi-solid. According to their forms and preparation methods, they can be divided into: spices, oleoresins, essential oils, extracts, absolutes, balms, and tinctures.

1. What is oleoresin?

Oleoresin is a semi-solid extract consisting of resin and essential or fatty oils. This substance can be obtained by evaporating the solvent used for production. Conifers contain an oily resin called crude turpentine or turpentine. It contains turpentine and rosin oil. Typically, essential oils are obtained through steam distillation. However, oleoresins are highly bound substances that are not easily volatile and contain lipophilic compounds such as resins, waxes, fats, and fatty oils. Oleoresin Derivatives Oleogum or gum resin occurs mainly in the form of crude balsam. It also contains water-soluble gums. Therefore, this substance requires large-scale processing; this is done exclusively in China. However, this processing technology is too labor-intensive, not feasible in other countries, and involves high labor costs. We can start with basil, chilies, cardamom, celery seeds, cinnamon bark, clove buds, fenugreek, fir balsam, ginger, jam, labdanum, nutmeg, parsley, nutmeg, pepper, allspice, Preparation of oleoresins from rosemary, sage, turmeric, vanilla and other spices. We can use polar or non-polar non-aqueous solvents. Polar solvents include alcohols, and non-polar solvents include hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, etc.

2. What are essential oils?

Essential oils are concentrated, hydrophobic liquids composed of volatile compounds from plants. These oils are also named volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or by botanical names, such as clove oil.

3. What is the difference between oleoresin and essential oil?

Essential oils are so named because they contain the essence of plant scents. It is the unique fragrance of the plant from which the oil is extracted. "Essential" in this article does not refer to substances that can be used by the human body as essential amino acids and essential fatty acids. They are so named because essential amino acids and essential fatty acids have nutritional value to living organisms. Typically, essential oils are extracted through steam distillation. In addition, there are pressing method, solvent leaching method, absolute oil leaching method, resin tapping method, wax coating method, cold pressing method, etc. Typically, essential oils are used in the manufacture of perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, air fresheners, etc. Essential oils are also used in food flavorings, beverages, incense and household cleaning products.

Oleoresins and essential oils are important chemicals derived from plant sources. These substances also have different uses. The key difference between oleoresins and essential oils is that oleoresins are natural mixtures of essential oils and resins extracted from plant sources, while essential oils are concentrated liquids containing the fragrant essences of plants. Additionally, oleoresins are used in the production of beverages, processed meats, sauces, soup powders, curry powders, candies, and noodles, while essential oils are used to relieve headaches, reduce intestinal spasms, enhance memory, support digestion, and more.

4. Summary - oleoresin and essential oils

Oleoresins and essential oils are important chemicals derived from plant sources. The key difference between oleoresins and essential oils is that oleoresins are natural mixtures of essential oils and resins extracted from plant sources, while essential oils are concentrated liquids containing the fragrant essences of plants.