- Lavender oils with high content in linalyl acetate and
linalool and low content in camphor are suitable for the perfume and cosmetic industries.
- Lavender oils with high content of camphor are mainly used in aromatherapy and phytotherapy

Usages of Lavender Essential Oil

- Food flavorings
- Feed additives
- Cosmetics and perfumes
- Air fresheners and deodorizers
- Pharmacy, balneology, massage, and homeopathy
- Aromatherapy and aromachology
- Biocides and insect repellents

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Essential oils (EOs) are very fascinating natural plant products and have different biological properties. “Biological” includes all activities that these mixtures of volatile compounds (mainly mono- and sesquiterpenoids, benzenoids, phenylpropanoids,
etc.) exert on humans, animals, and other plants.

Essential Oils (EOs)

Baser, K. H. C., & Buchbauer, G. (2009). Handbook of essential oils: science, technology, and applications. CRC press.

Handbook of essential oils: science, technology, and applications

- Industrial 
- Laboratory-Scale 
- Microsampling

Essential Oils extraction techniques

- Mevalonate pathway leading to sesquiterpenes
- Methyl-erithrytol-pathway leading to mono- and diterpenes
- Shikimic acid pathway en route to phenylpropenes

Main biosynthetic pathways yield to (EOs)

"Product obtained from vegetable raw material—either by distillation with water or steam or—from the epicarp of Citrus fruits by a mechanical process, or—by dry distillation" (ISO/DIS 9235.21997, p. 2).

International Standards Organization (ISO) definition of an Essential Oil

- Climate
- Soil quality and preparation
- Water stress and drought
- Insect stress and microorganisms
- Location of oil cells
- Types of biomass used
- Timing of the harvest

Factors influencing EOs production

- Generally, high production of English lavender(true Lavender) essential oil needs a warm and dry climate and medium altitudes (700–1200 m).
- For inflorescences of English lavender(true Lavender), the essential oil content is higher in button and preanthesis/anthesis.
- The majority of essential oil is obtained from the flowers, but leaves have also a lower amount of EOs. In the case of English lavender, flowers' Oil is 4-5 times higher than the leaves' oil and has a finner fragrance.
- Prolonged storage of dried lavender flowers before hydrodistillation reduces the essential oil content by about 0.007%/day, or around 2.56%/year.
- True lavender EO has a sweet floral, herbaceous, refreshing odour with a pleasant,
balsamic-wood undertone, and a fruity-sweet top note.

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