Lemon Oil

Lemon oil is an essential oil extracted from lemon peels. It is usually yellowish or light green in color, and smells like freshly sliced lemon. The oil is sold as a pure essential oil, standardised lemon oil (for consistency), or it can be mixed with other oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, lemon balm oil, or mineral oil, depending on how it will be used. It is found in many personal care products, home cleaning products, and furniture polishes. Many home cleaning products contain lemon oil because a lot of people associate the smell of lemons with freshness and cleanliness.

Availability:

Lemon Oils that we can offer include standardised (Citral 4%) as well as pure & natural. The origins include California, Italy, Argentina and Spain. The method of production of Lemon Oils may be fractional distillation or cold expression. The most common packing is 25 kg drums. 

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General Information

 Types of Cold Pressed Lemon Oil: 

• Californian Lemon Oil - Not less than 2.2% and not more than 3.8% of aldehydes, calculated as Citral (C₁₀H₁₆O). Ultraviolet Absorbance not less than 0.2.
• Italian Lemon Oil - Not less than 3.0% and not more than 5.5% of aldehydes, calculated as Citral (C₁₀H₁₆O). Ultraviolet Absorbance not less than 0.9.
• Brazilian Lemon Oil - 2.0% of aldehydes, calculated as Citral (C₁₀H₁₆O).
• Spanish Lemon Oil - Between 4.0% and 5.0% of aldehydes, calculated as Citral (C₁₀H₁₆O).
• Argentinian Lemon Oil
• Arizona Lemon Oil (Desert Type) - Not less than 1.7% of aldehydes, calculated as Citral (C₁₀H₁₆O). Ultraviolet Absorbance not less than 0.20. 

Other categories of Lemon Oil: 

• Distilled Lemon Oil - Between 1.0% and 3.5% of aldehydes, calculated as Citral (C₁₀H₁₆O). Ultraviolet Absorbance not more than 0.01.
• Terpeneless Lemon Oil - Between 40% and 52% of aldehydes, calculated as Citral (C10H16O). Sesquiterpene content between 20% to 24%.
• Standardized Lemon Oil – 4% of aldehyde, calculated as Citral (C₁₀H₁₆O). Italian Origin. 

Chemistry:

Constituents of lemon oil include limonene, which is responsible for the oil's tangy-fruity aroma, and Citral, which is responsible for what we recognize as the lemon note in the aroma profile. Limonene is the naturally occurring chemical constituent within Lemon Essential Oil that gives it its distinctive lemony aroma. Cold pressed Lemon Essential Oil is phototoxic.  

Major Constituents of Cold Pressed Lemon Oil:

(+)-Limonene
B-Pinene
Gamma-Terpinene
a-Terpineol
a-Pinene
Geranial 

Major Constituents of Steam Distilled Lemon Oil:

(+)-Limonene
B-Pinene
Gamma-Terpinene
Geranial
a-Pinene

Processing: 

Unlike many other essential oils which are extracted by distillation, natural lemon oil is usually produced in a cold-extraction process. The high temperatures needed for steam distillation would destroy the subtle, fresh aroma of lemon oil, which is better preserved by cold-pressing the fresh peel. Cold-pressing will yield six to seven pounds of oil from one ton of fresh fruit. The zest, or yellow part of the peel, is machine-pressed to squeeze out the scented oil. Following extraction, different batches of cold-pressed California lemon oils are often blended together to produce a more consistent aroma profile, while lemon oils from Italy usually come as individual, small lots from different producers. Italian oils are said have a wider, more inconsistent range of aromatic qualities. 1,500 lemons are needed to produce 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) of essential oil.

General Specifications of Cold Pressed Lemon Oil:

CAS Number: 8008-56-8

Appearance: Yellowish Clear Liquid

Solubility: Slightly soluble in water

Uses: 

• Lemon oil is a natural astringent and antiseptic, making it a popular addition to natural personal care products and cosmetics.
• Standardised Lemon Oil is used in numerous industrial applications including detergents, soaps and toiletries.
• Pure lemon oil can kill many types of bacteria, so it’s often used on furniture, floors, carpets, and countertops.
• Mixed with coconut or mineral oil, it is a common addition to furniture polish because it removes bacteria and leaves a non-waxy shine.
• Preparation of flavours and fragrances.

Safety:

Lemon oil can contain up to two percent furanocoumarin compounds, including bergaptene. These compounds act as photosensitizing agents, which can increase the skin's sensitivity to ultraviolet light, causing accelerated burning and skin damage. It is recommended not to use lemon oil in concentrations above 5% for skin applications. 

Disclaimer:

The product details, end use, specifications etc. given above are only for general reference. We have tried to furnish details as accurately as possible and to the best of our knowledge. Users of this site may use or rely upon the information or written material entirely at their own risk.