Drying of Aromatic Plant Material for Natural Perfumes

Book excerpt: Drying of Aromatic Plant Material for Natural Perfumes provides readers with a deep understanding of the fascinating world of aromatic plants, drying, extraction and perfumery. It covers the significance and global demand of essential oils, a glimpse of plant histology, secretion and storage of secondary metabolites in plant tissues, drying technologies and selection for dehydration of herbage, extraction, chemical compositions and applications. The book is organized into four sections: plant cell structures and their role during dehydration, aromatic plants and their essential oil contents, composition and contribution towards perfumery, and dehydration and extraction technologies. The book does the following: Summarizes commercially important aromatic plant materials and extracted essential oil around the world and their socio-commercial impact Includes structures of plant tissues, inherent mass transfer pathways, along with the presence and role of water, the understanding of which can aid dehydration and extraction Describes methods for selecting drying parameters and relates drying mechanisms with microstructure Discusses drying technologies for heat-sensitive materials and extraction technologies for selective component extractions Covers preprocessing, extraction and standardization of essential oils for blending for different applications This book serves as a handy tool for R&D, industrial, and academic researchers working in perfumery, fragrance, and food science, as well as chemical and agricultural engineering.