Essential oil is one of the most widely used substances in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries. You have probably heard many names of essential oils, rose, lavender, almond, etc. are among the most famous essential oils. But what is essential oil and what are its uses?

What is essential oil?

First, let us examine the word essential oil. The pronunciation of essence in Farsi is derived from French. Of course, the same word is pronounced as essence in English. In Persian language, gem or essence can be considered equivalent to essential oil. But the Persian Language Academy has suggested the word perfume for plant essences used in industries.

In general, essential oils are taken from different parts of plants in different ways. The processes of extracting essential oils from plants are diverse. Meanwhile, based on the type of plant, essential oil is extracted from different parts of the plant, from the flower to the root. The common perception is that essential oils are used in the perfumery industry. But the uses of plant essential oils are wide and almost every day we are faced with a product that contains essential oils. In fact, essential oils are used in the production of cosmetics (such as soap, dishwashing liquid, shampoo, creams and lotions, etc.) Essential oils are even used in the production of fragrant incense.

The subtle point is that essential oils should not be confused with deodorants. Essential oils are made from plants and fragrances are made from chemicals.

What is the difference between essential oil and extract?

The extract is a solution that contains all the substances of a plant such as vitamins, salts, mucilage and tannin. The extract contains plant compounds. The extract is actually the sap of the plant and therefore contains all the compounds of the plant, including the essential oil.

Therefore, the essential oil is purer than the extract. In fact, essential oil is a special and aromatic substance that is extracted from a plant. Basically, this purification causes the production of essential oil. Essential oils are fragrant substances and many of them have therapeutic properties.

The remaining water from the essential oil extraction process is called sweat. The next important point is that most essential oils are oily and do not dissolve in water.

essence extraction

When the essential oil is extracted, the essential oil is colorless, but it changes color when exposed to air. In general, essential oils react in the vicinity of light and air, so they are always kept in closed and dark containers. Essential oil extraction is usually done in four main ways:

Distillation method
Solvent extraction
Extraction using hydrolyzing enzymes
Extraction using carbon dioxide

Among these four methods, extraction by distillation is more common. As you can see, extracting essential oils is a completely scientific and professional process and usually it is not done with simple tools. However, extraction can easily be done at home.

The use of essential oils in various industries

As mentioned above, essential oils have different uses. The main uses of essential oils are:

The use of essential oils in the pharmaceutical industry. Herbal medicines are prepared based on essential oils. Essential oils of mint, chamomile, marigold, fennel, etc. are among the plants used in the pharmaceutical industry.
The use of essential oils in health industries. All kinds of essential oils are used in the production of soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorants, body lotion and many other health products.
The use of essential oils in the perfume industry. Essential oils are the basis of the perfume and cologne industry and even deodorizing sprays.
The use of essential oils in the chemical industry. Essential oils are widely used in the chemical industry as reagents and in the production of foaming agents and solvents.
The use of essential oils in the food industry. Essential oils are also widely used in the food industry. All kinds of essential oils are used in the production of various foods and beverages. Almost the food industry without essential oils is tasteless.
In addition to the above, essential oils are used in other industries such as leather and even stationery production.
Factors affecting the quality of essential oils

Various factors affect the quality of essential oils. Plant cultivation conditions are the first effective factor in the quality of essential oils. These conditions include: light, weather and soil of the environment in which the plant grows and bears fruit. For example, it is said that warm weather makes the plants rich in effective substances and the obtained essential oil has a higher quality aroma and smell.

Harvesting and plant conditions are the next effective factor in the final quality of the essential oil. For example, if the plant is kept for a long time and in inappropriate conditions before extracting essential oil, we will not have quality essential oil.

The type of essential oil extraction and storage conditions after that are the next effective factors. As mentioned before, essential oils react with air and light. Even if we have produced high-quality essential oil, but it is kept in a transparent container and protected from light, eventually after a few days, all its quality and properties will be lost.

What are the most widely used essential oils?

Anise essential oil

Anise is one of the most widely used essential oils in the food and pharmaceutical industries. This essential oil is widely used in the confectionery and soft drink industries. Anise essential oil is also used in the pharmaceutical industry to make anti-nausea drugs and strengthen the body’s immune system.

Lavender essential oil

Lavender is a plant with beautiful purple flowers and a very pleasant scent. The essential oil of this plant is widely used in the production of cosmetics and health products as well as in the production of medicine. Since lavender has a unique aroma, today our varieties