REVIEW OF QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSES OF CITRUS ESSENTIAL OILS

A compilation of reported quantitative values for individual components of cold-pressed oils of sweet orange, grapefruit, mandarin, lemon, lime, bitter orange, bergamot, certain hybrid oils, and of distilled lime oil is presented. Different analytical methods used to determine these values are compared. Reasons for differences in quantitative values determined by gas chromatography (GLC) are ascribed to method of preliminary separation, method of calculating relative percent composition, type of column or detector used, decomposition during GLC separation, and sample history. Valid conclusions regarding chemotaxonomy of hybrids cannot be made from the available data because of variable sample histories and analytical techniques. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.