Mint Landscape: from Field to Flavor

By: Mark Morris, Agricultural Research & Development; and Eric Robbins, A.M. Todd

Posted: May 23, 2005, from the June 2005 issue of P&F magazine.

Mint’s popularity is undeniable; lately, however, producers have faced increasing pressure to reduce raw material costs. Here Mark Morris and Eric Robbins provide an update on the world of mint — the issues and challenges — from both the agronomist’s and the flavorist’s perspective.

Mark Morris discusses the five key areas of peppermint agronomy

The mint family (Labiatae or Lamiaceae) is composed of many species — including basil, lavender, rosemary, peppermint and spearmint — grown commercially for their essential oils or leaves. This article focuses on agricultural practices employed in the production of peppermint (Mentha x piperita). Because the global peppermint oil market has become increasingly competitive, agricultural practices that maintain oil quality while managing production costs are more crucial today than ever before.

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