Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Spice oils

 
• In most spices, the odour or aroma factor is attributed to the volatiles (essentials oils) present in them. This 'essential oil' can be obtained by steam distillation of the ground spice. The oil is made up of hydrocarbons like terpenes, sesquiterpenes and their oxygenated derivatives.
• Steam distillation is a gentle process, in which the oil components from the ground spices are entrained by steam at a temperature less than 100°C. With a rapid flow of steam, large quantities of oil can be collected.