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New Techniques: the Future of Citrus

By: John Forbes, Treatt PLC
Posted: December 19, 2005, from the January 2006 issue of P&F magazine.

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Perfumers often use grapefruit and orange together, for example, as a variation of the classical "eau de Cologne," while lemon and lime are being added to formulas to revitalize soft drink brands. Unfortunately, some commercially available citrus oils lack authentic natural notes, resulting in a disappointing flavor or fragrance. Recent advancements in processing techniques have been utilized to produce high-quality, well-balanced citrus oils.

The Vital Components Citrus oils are rich in nonpolar terpene hydrocarbons. The main terpene constituents are not always major contributors to the flavor or odor. It is the polar components (oxygenates) that usually contribute the most to fl avor and odor. These include:

• Esters, such as ethyl butyrate

• Aldehydes, such as octanal, decanal, dodecanal, trans-2-hexenal, hexanal and citral

• Oxides, such as 1,8 and 1,4-cineole

• Alcohols, such as geraniol, nerol, borneol and terpinen-4-ol

• Acids, such as octanoic and decanoic acid The odor and fl avor of each of these natural molecules contribute to the complex interaction of components, creating a natural citrus odor and fl avor profile.

 

This is only an excerpt of the full article that appeared in P&F Magazine, but you can purchase the full-text version.