- Absolute (fragrance)
Similar to
essential oil s, absolutes are concentrated, highly-aromatic, oily mixtures extracted from plants. Whereas essential oils can typically be produced throughsteam distillation , absolutes require the use ofsolvent extraction techniques or more traditionally, throughenfleurage .Production
First, an
organic solvent , such ashexane , is added to the plant material to help extract thehydrophobic compounds. This solution is filtered and concentrated by distillation to produce a waxy mass called concrete. The lower molecular weight, fragrant compounds are extracted from the concrete intoethanol . When the ethanol evaporates, an oil—the absolute—is left behind.Character and use
Absolutes are usually more concentrated than essential oils, as well the efficiency and low temperature of the extraction process helps prevent damage to the fragrant compounds. With a good knowledge of the solvent they are using, extractors can produce absolutes with aromas closer to the original plant product than is possible with essential oils produced through distillation. Examples of this are
rose otto (steam distilled rose oil) and neroli (steam distilled oil from the blossom of thebitter orange tree) compared to rose absolute and orange blossom absolute, respectively. Some botanicals also are too delicate to be steam distilled and can yield their aroma only through other methods, such as solvent extraction or lipid absorption. Examples of this arejasmine ,tuberose , andmimosa .Due to the the trace amount of solvents in the absolutes due to its production method, its use in
aromatherapy is limited. The solvent traces are considered undesirable since it is believe that they could cause allergies and affect the immune system. In perfumery, absolutes are used extensively since they smell fresher, brighter, andjam -like, since the compounds in the absolute do not undergo high temperature processes. Although, the solvent traces produce off notes in the final product, this problem is not present is even decent quality absolute.References
* [http://www.wsu.edu/~gmhyde/433_web_pages/433Oil-web-pages/Processing/Process-Edible%26Essence_Oil.html Oil Processing]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.