Oils that are distilled are extracted by using steam. Steam is expressed through the plant material and then the essential oils are collected from the residue of this process. It is essentially the same process of distillation as used in liquor distillation. Once collected, the essential oils are filtered out. If a plant or product is rich in oil, the process will yield a large volume of oil. If the plant material has very little natural oil, the extraction process is arduous and will yield a very little product which causes the price of the essential oil to be at a premium. In cold pressing, no distillation takes place. Heat is not used. The plant material is put under pressure and the resulting oil is collected. Citrus fruits are naturals for cold pressing. Certain nuts are also cold pressed due to the natural amount of oil contained within the plant (coconut, almond, grape seed, etc.). Both essential oil collection methods are perfectly acceptable. The determination of the appropriate method for a specific plant material is based upon natural oil content and whether or not the essential oil will break down under heat.
No comments:
Post a Comment