Effect of Drying on the Composition of Essential Oil from Lavandula angustifolia

Composition, biological properties and therapeutic effects of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L). A review

“…The essential oil consists of over 300 chemical compounds, the main ones are linalool (from 9.3% to 68.8%) and linalyl acetate (from 1.2% to 59.4%). The near infrared spectrometry (NIR) profiles of the essential oil from fresh and dried lavender flowers grown in Poland are closest to those of the essential oil from French lavender (the matching rates are 90.39% for fresh lavender and 97.65% for dried lavender) [13].…”

“…The study by Śmigielski et al [13] has shown that while drying, lavender (L. angustifolia) losses of more than 40% of its essential oils. However, if fresh lavender is dried in a fluidized bed, in a closed circuit system containing a drying agent and a heat exchanger, the dried product produces more volatile and biologically active substances at a predetermined humidity and condensed water from the plant, called Fluidolat [17,18].…”

“…The predominant compounds include borneol, α-terpineol, terpinene-4-ol, lavandulol acetate, as well as caryophyllene and linalool oxides. The main class of compounds consists of oxygenated monoterpenes (73.8%), with the greatest fraction of monoterpene alcohols (36%) [13]. The high concentration of lavandulol and lavandulol acetate gives a distinctive herbal-rosy scent, while the fragrance is adversely affected by ocimene, cineol, camphor, and terpinen-4-ol [12].…”

Losses of essential oils and antioxidants during the drying of herbs and spices. A review

“…The traditional way of preserving plant materials, despite its many advantages, such as low cost and simple technology, results in the loss of many valuable food ingredients, both essential oils and antioxidants [Capecka et al 2005;Omidbaigi et al 2004;Schweiggert et al 2007;Śmigielski et al 2011]. The use of low temperature and shorter process times in lyophilization better preserves the biological value of the raw material.…”

Drying of Herbal Product in Closed System

“…Traditional methods of plant material treatment -direct exposure of plants to solar radiation or drying in a dryer with forced air, despite many advantages -low cost, simple technology -cause losses of many valuable plant components, mainly antioxidants and essential oils [1,2,3]. Low temperature and shortening the duration of the curing process in the case of herbs by lyophilization, (in compare to natural drying or atmospheric freeze drying method) are the factors which enable maintaining of a higher nutritional value.…”