II Module

Essential oils &

Oleoresins
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu

Introduction
Spices differ from herbs in being only parts of
plants that are very aromatic
Normally derived from plants growing wild in
semitropical or tropical regions
Few spices can be incorporated directly into food
products; most require further processing
Particle size reduction or milling is most widely
used
Degree of fineness - determined by its ultimate
use (e.g., distillation, extraction, blended
seasonings)
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

Milling - Demerits
By exposing the material to excessively high
temperatures
By exposing the volatile oil in the ruptured
cellular tissues to loss by evaporation and/or
oxidative change
By altering the physical character of the
product (e.g., creating a pasty mass instead
of a free-running powder as occurs with
nutmeg and mace),
Thereby influencing its subsequent shelf life
and value as a flavoring material
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

Special Treatments
Having high volatile and/or fixed oil content (e.g.,
caraway, cumin)
Ground white pepper if prepared from whole black
pepper by a process known as decortication
Cardamoms, the seeds of which must be first
removed from the tough flavorless capsule in which
they normally remain until required
The blending of curry powders that calls for a
multistage milling to achieve the desired color and
texture
Mustard seeds that must be partially deoiled &
desolventized prior to grinding for use in prepared
mustard powders
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

Essential oils Vs Oleoresins

Essential oils - produced by injecting the
spice bed with steam, and then separating
the distillate into the essential oil and
water. This produces a very strong
smelling oil.
Oleoresins - by soaking spices in a solvent,
whether with a combination of ethanol and
water or hexane. One of the final stages in
processing is to remove the solvent to
acceptable levels. What is left are all of the
pungent taste flavour components
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dissolved
by theDept.
solvent
A.Sangamithra,
of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

Essential Oils
Cellulose - contributes nothing to the aroma &
flavor
The aromatic profile - determined by the
essential oil content.
Measured as aromatic strength - Quantitative
representation
Aromatic character Qualitative representation
The volatile oil preexists in the plant and is
usually contained in special secretory tissues
younger plants produce more oil than older ones
but the quality of such oils may lack the fuller
aromatic attributes normally associated
200 are processed commercially & of these only
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
about
60 are
produced
inTechnology,
significant
quantities
A.Sangamithra,
Dept. of Food
Kongu Engineering

Distillation
Distillation is a process of separating the
component substances from a liquid mixture by
selective vaporization and condensation.
Distillation may result in essentially complete
separation (nearly pure components), or it may
be a partial separation that increases the
concentration of selected components of the
mixture.

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

Modern distillation 3 methods

Water distillation or
hydrodistillation
Water and steam distillation
Direct Steam distillation

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

 Water Distillation - the plant material is loaded

into a still fitted with a slow-speed paddle stirrer
covered with water that is brought to a boil by
submerged steam coils
Distillation is continued until all the essential oil
has been recovered, the condensed water being
continuously returned to the still

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

 Hydrodistillation of plant material involves the

following main physicochemical processes
Hydrodiffusion
Hydrolysis
Decomposition by heat

Hydrodiffusion - Diffusion of essential oils and

hot water through plant membranes
when the plant material is soaked with water,
exchange of vapors within the tissue is based on
their permeability while in swollen condition
With boiling water, a part of volatile oil dissolves in
the water present within the glands, and this oilwater solution permeates, by osmosis, the swollen
membranes and finally reaches the outer surface,
where the oil is vaporized by passing steam
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

10

 Hydrolysis in the present context is defined as a

chemical reaction between water and certain
constituents of essential oils
Esters are constituents of essential oils and, in
the presence of water, especially at high
temperatures, they tend to react with water to
form acids and alcohols.
Effect of Heat Almost all constituents of
essential oils are unstable at high temperature.
To obtain the best quality oil, distillation must be
done at low temperatures
The rate of diffusion usually increases with
temperatures as does the solubility of essential
oils in water.

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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 Steam Distillation - The most common method

of extracting essential oils, uses a very similar
setup to water distillation, except instead of being
immersed in the hot water, steam is passed
through the plant material.
The steam breaks open the cells containing the
essential oil, and the steam and oil then pass into
the cooling chamber where, like with water
distillation, two products are created - essential
Distiller Components
oil and hydrosol.
1. Plant material
2. Steam & vaporous
essential oil
3. Steam inlet
4. Condenser
5. Circulation of cold water
(in)
6. Circulation of cold water
(out)
7. Essential oil layer
8. Floral water layer

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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 Water and Steam Distillation - The plant

material is loaded onto a frame within the still
body, fixed above a layer of water which can be
brought to a boil by submerged steam coils.
This technique is widely used for the distillation
of green herbaceous materials

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Steps prior to distillation

Most herbs and spices require some
preparation prior to distillation.
The unit operations involved include (a)
cleaning; (b) comminution; (c) soaking,
particularly of hard materials such as
cinnamon bark; and (d) loading and
charging, which requires close attention to
avoid channeling or uneven exposure to the
steam as this can have a very significant
effect upon the sensory characters of the oil.
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Advantages & Disadvantages of Spice

Essential Oils

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

15

 D-limonene, the main

component of orange oil is
produced in a gland inside of
the rind of the fruit. Dlimonene is extracted or steam
distilled
Eugenol is an allylbenzene
that is found in clove oil,
nutmeg, cinnamon, and bay
leaf. It is slightly soluble in
water and soluble in organic
solvents

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Use of Spice Essential Oils

A uniform flavor strength
give an end product with a consistent profile
represent a part of the total available flavor in the
spice, and this can limit their usefulness.
Ex: black pepper and ginger, the volatile oil only
gives the characteristic odor of the spice; the
pungent principles, being nonvolatile, are not
present in the distilled oil.

Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Oleoresin
Spice essential oils frequently lack the full, rounded profiles
associated with the use of ground herbs and spices
Essential oils - totally devoid of characteristic flavoring
attributes
Oleoresins - represent the complete flavour profile of the
spice
It contains the volatile as well as non volatile constituents of
spices
Oleoresins can be defined as the true essence of the spices
Replace whole/ground spices without impairing any flavour
and aroma characteristic.
Oleoresins guarantee superior quality of flavour and aroma.
They are complete and balanced, consistent and standardized.
They ensure storage stability in the final product and are free
from contamination.
Oleoresins dark and viscous
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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 These can be recovered by extraction of selected, dried

and ground herbs and spices
organic solvents are chosen that optimally dissolve both
the essential oil and the desirable non volatiles present
After extraction, the solvent is removed and the resulting
concentrated extract is known as an oleoresin
Custom made blends are also offered to suit the specific
requirement of the buyer.
Spice oleoresins are mainly used in processed meat, fish
and vegetables, soups, sauces, chutneys and dressings,
cheeses and other dairy products, baked foods,
confectionery, snacks and beverages. India enjoys the
distinction of being the single largest supplier of spice
oleoresins to the world.
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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 Polar solvents containing hydroxy or carboxy

groups and are relatively reactive chemicals that
are miscible with water.
They are generally powerful solvents of a wide
range of ingredients. Some pose fire hazards.
Nonpolar solvents are generally hydrocarbons
or chlorinated hydrocarbons that are relatively
unreactive and immiscible with water.
They tend to have limited solvent properties,
being better for oils and fats.
The hydrocarbons may pose fire hazards while
the chlorinated solvents are nonflammable but
may be relatively toxic.
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Solvent Extraction Oleoresin

Preparation of the raw material - Dried herbs
and spices must first be ground to ensure solvent
penetration.
The smaller the particle size, the greater the
number of ruptured cells, the interfacial area, and
the speed of achieving equilibrium in the
extraction.
Too fine grinding can lead to slow solvent
penetration, slow percolation of the solvent
through the mass, and difficulties in recovering
solvent from the spent material
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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 Exposure of the material to solvent - This involves

three phases:
Addition of solvent to ensure even wetting of the dry mass,
period of maceration to allow absorption of the solvent and
equilibration between solutes and solvent
continuous replacement of the miscella with fresh solvent.

These conditions are influenced by the nature of the

starting material, the design of the extractor, and whether
the system is operated under gravity or forced-pump
circulation.
The system of recycling the solvent is economically
important and is dictated by the solvent selected, the
degree of heat treatment feasible without damage to
labile constituents, the established flow rate and the
optimum spice/solvent ratio.
When the bulk quantity warrants it, a system of
continuous countercurrent extraction offers many
advantages.
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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 Separation of miscella from extracted material and

removal of solvent.
The stripping of solvent from the desired extractives
is critically important to the character and flavoring
quality of the resulting oleoresin.
Many spices contain highly volatile constituents so
that the removal of solvent must be carried out
under low temperature conditions so as to avoid
loss or damage of these.
The use of high vacuum is indicated but this can
also lead to volatile losses.
For this reason, the lower the boiling point of the
solvent the better, hence the attraction of
supercritical CO2 that does not have these problems
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE)

A supercritical fluid is any substance at a
temperature and pressure above its
thermodynamic critical point (31o C and 73 BAR
for CO2).
It is not a gas not a liquid but has the advantages
of both.
It is another state of matter with the unique
ability:
to diffuse through solids like a gas, yet
dissolve materials like a liquid

By changing the SCF density with minor changes

Similar
to
Similar
to Gas
in
temperature
or pressure
- can
selectively
Elevated
Liquid different compounds
diffusivity
dissolve
from
a matrix
Elevated
Low viscosity
density
Low
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering
compressibility

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Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Why SFE
The essential oils of plants are usually obtained by
hydrodistillation, steam distillation or solvent
extraction.
Eucalyptus essential oil, normally obtained by steam
distillation, yields range 1.6% and the concentration
of citronellal is between 65-85%. from 1 to
However, these techniques have several
disadvantages, such as low yield, time consuming
process, loss of volatile compounds, degradation of
thermo-sensitive compounds and few adjustable
parameters to control the process selectivity.
Therefore, the search for extraction techniques with
high efficiency and selectivity is desirable
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Why CO2- Supercritical fluid

Odorless
Colorless
highly pure
Safe
cost effective
nontoxic
nonflammable
recyclable gas

efficiently separated from

extracted volatiles
leaves no residue
Penetrates food matrix
nontoxic
nonflammable
recyclable gas

Why SFE??

is fast and selective

allows for reduced extraction and purification steps
provides decreased processing time
has reduced organic solvents
gives higher yield with lower cost
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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SFE
Separation of chemicals, flavors from the
products such as coffee, tea, hops, herbs, and
spices
The products were mixed with supercritical fluid
to form a mobile phase
the mobile phase is subjected to pressures and
temperatures near or above the critical point for
the purpose of enhancing
the mobile phase solvating power
The process begins with CO2 in vapor form.
It is then compressed into a liquid before
becoming supercritical.
While supercritical, the extraction takes place
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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 The system must contain a pump for the CO2, a

pressure cell to contain the sample, a means of
maintaining pressure in the system and a
collecting vessel.
The liquid is pumped to a heating zone, where it
is heated to supercritical conditions
It then passes into the extraction vessel, where it
rapidly diffuses into the solid matrix and dissolves
the material to be extracted
The dissolved material is swept from the
extraction cell into a separator at lower pressure,
and the extracted material settles out
The CO2 can then be cooled, recompressed and
recycled, or discharged to atmosphere
Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants
A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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Technology of Food Flavorants and Colorants

A.Sangamithra, Dept. of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering

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