Some 100 essential oils are commercially extracted for sale to the flavor and fragrance industry. Only a few oils are produced in the United States on a very large scale, such as peppermint and spearmint oils, citrus oils, pine oils and cedarwood oils. Some herb and spice oils are distilled only sporadically as the market demands. The majority of essential oils are still imported from foreign countries, mostly those with tropical and subtropical climates.
Typically, the producing countries have been using conventional and sometimes rudimentary methods of distillation. Apparently the essential oil industry has not done fundamental research on improved distillation technology.
Other topics discussed: Historical Background; Texarome's Continuous Steam Stripping Process; The Process; The Processing at Texarome; Product Quality and Yield; Concluding Remarks; References
