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Essential Oil Production |
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HOW are ESSENTIAL OILS made? |
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Essential Oil distilleries have classically used hydrodiffusion (steam distillation) to produce Essential Oils. During distillation, steam runs through the plant material. The hot steam breaks down the cells of the plant and carries the essential oils to a cooling chamber where the hydrosol (water portion of the plant) and the essential oil (volatile oils of the plant) are then separated. Notice the separation of essential oil (top) and hydrosol (bottom) in the image of fresh lavender distillate to the left. This image was taken at the California School of Herbal Studies during an essential oil distillation class. |
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Like fine wines, the end result is dependent upon several factors which include: growing methods (preferably Organically grown, Bio-dynamically grown, or Ethically wildcrafted), geography, climate, soil conditions, and most importantly, the technique and expertise of the distiller. The amount of essential oil that each distillation yields is dependent upon the plant. Price is usually a reliable indicator of how much oil each crop yields. For example, it takes approximately 30 rose buds to produce a single drop of rose otto essential oil. 1 ml (approximately 30 drops) then, is sold for about $35 on the retail market. Lavender, on the other hand, yields approximately 4 liters of oil per ton of plant. A 5 ml (1/6 of an ounce) bottle of true lavender is found for about $10-$15. |
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| Carbon Dioxide (Co2) Extraction |
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A relatively new method of extraction that is being employed is called carbon dioxide extraction, or CO2. This process utilizes the "supercritical" state of CO2, when it acts both as a gas and a liquid. The required equipment used for this method is quite expensive but yields a higher volume of essential oil, making more expensive oils such as frankincense and myrrh more widely available. CO2 extraction, which is cooler than steam distillation, is also gentle on the plant material and yields essential oils with exceptionally true aromas. |
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Cold Press Extraction |
Most high quality citrus essential oils are obtained from a cold pressing of the rind or peel. This process is often called scarification. As in steam distillation, to insure high quality essential oils it is necessary to use only the finest plants available. The common use of chemical pesticides in industrial citrus farming makes using organic citrus essential oils especially important. Many citrus essential oils on the market are bulk essential oils of inferior quality made by steam distillation of the peels rather than scarification. |
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Absolutes |
Another method used to extract essential oils from plants is by using solvents. These oils are called absolutes. Absolutes are commonly used to extract the essence from very delicate plant parts like flower petals. Common absolutes are Rose, Jasmine and Mimosa. These are used primarily for perfumery and blending, and because of the solvents used in extraction, are not considered to be a therapeutic grade. |
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Raw Materials |
All the raw materials for the production of the essential oils come from the surrounding ecologically clean and unpoluted mountains of our Production Facility.
In the past several years we have developed our own collector's network, so this way we are sure that all the raw materials that we use come in an excellent condition at the Quality control point of our production facility.
What is very important about the quality of the raw materials is that we are now delevoping a method for tracebility for each batch received from the suppliers, in order to be able to determine the diversity of the compounds in the essentials oils produced from materials that come from different parts of the country. |
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Production Process |
After a rigorous quality control, the raw material intended to be used in the steam destilation process is being packaged, labelled and stored in a separate raw materials warehouse. From there it is succesively being used for further processing in the in the Steam destilation unit. |
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The steam destilation process is controlled and guided by qualified personell, with special care about each production phase and the pre-scheduled process parameters. |
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As soon as the destilation process is finished, the essential oils are packaged into appropriate containers, labelled and kept in dry and cool storing conditions in our warehouse for finished products, from which they are being despatched to the customers. |
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Quality Assurance |
In order to satisfy the requirements of the customers, our company continuously works on the further development of the production methods used in our facility.
Each production batch carries it's own number, thus enabling us to be able to supply the right quality of products ordered by the clients.
What we can guarantie at each shipment of products is that the client shall always receive the same quality of essential oils as the representative samples sent to their attention for analyzing and evaluation. |
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