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Crișan, I.; Ona, A.; Vârban, D.; Muntean, L.; Vârban, R.; Stoie, A.; Mihăiescu, T.; Morea, A. Essential Oil Standards for Lavandula angustifolia. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/42083 (accessed on 18 September 2024).
Crișan I, Ona A, Vârban D, Muntean L, Vârban R, Stoie A, et al. Essential Oil Standards for Lavandula angustifolia. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/42083. Accessed September 18, 2024.
Crișan, Ioana, Andreea Ona, Dan Vârban, Leon Muntean, Rodica Vârban, Andrei Stoie, Tania Mihăiescu, Adriana Morea. "Essential Oil Standards for Lavandula angustifolia" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/42083 (accessed September 18, 2024).
Crișan, I., Ona, A., Vârban, D., Muntean, L., Vârban, R., Stoie, A., Mihăiescu, T., & Morea, A. (2023, March 10). Essential Oil Standards for Lavandula angustifolia. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/42083
Crișan, Ioana, et al. "Essential Oil Standards for Lavandula angustifolia." Encyclopedia. Web. 10 March, 2023.
Essential Oil Standards for Lavandula angustifolia
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This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/plants12020357

Lavender is in the research spotlight due to its increasing economic importance, while market demand is expected to continue to grow. Among the hundreds of essential-oil-bearing plants, Lavandula angustifolia Mill. remains one of the most valuable. Due to the increasing market demand as well as the expanding use of essential oils, the development of regulations, guidelines and standards aiming to maintain a high level of quality and safety remains a priority. Exigence is necessary for ensuring that buyers are receiving what they paid for, and in addition, depending on the destination of use and industry, for ensuring the derived product quality is not adversely affected.

properties composition volatiles standards farm commercial

1. Sensorial Quality of Essential Oil

The characteristic scent of lavender oil is fresh floral, resembling the flowering tops of the plant [1]. Oxygenated monoterpenes are the bulk constituent of lavender essential oil and responsible for the characteristic scent. The common monoterpenoids in lavender essential oil are: alcohols, esters, ketones and oxides [2]. The main component in lavender essential oil is linalool, both esterified in the form of linalyl acetate as well as free [3].
True lavender essential oil is appreciated due to its softer olfactory bouquet in comparison to that of other species of the genus [2][4]. The essential oil obtained from the flowers has a milder fragrance than the one obtained from leaves or other plant parts. The essential oil from the leaves and stems is higher in 1,8-cineole and camphor, which are responsible for harsher notes [2]. The linalyl acetate content determines the superior or inferior quality of lavender essential oil [3], and this constituent is also responsible for the floral–woody sensory character of the essential oil [2]. A camphor content exceeding 1.2% reduces the aroma quality by giving a fresher accent, while α-terpineol gives the desired lilac-like scent. It has been proposed that terpineol-4-ol in higher concentrations (over 2%) diminishes the essential oil value by giving it a grass-like scent [3]. These aspects related to aromatic quality are important, considering that essential oils are further used in perfume industry. Therefore, a balance between components is a defining sensorial quality.

2. Current Standards and Trending Guidelines for Essential Oil Quality

Lavender essential oil must have the appearance of a clear liquid, pale yellow in color. To meet the standards, at 20 °C, the relative density must be between 0.878% and 0.892%, the refractive index between 1.457 and 1.466 and the optical rotation between 12.5° and 6°. To obtain a clear solution with one volume of authentic lavender essential oil, should not be required to use more than 2–3 volumes of ethanol 70% or 75%. The maximum acid values should be between 1.0–1.2, while ester values should be between 90–160 [1].
The essential oil profile of lavender analyzed by gas chromatography must present characteristic compounds. Representative compounds are presented in Table 1, according to current standards from literature. These are given for clonal and spontaneous lavender, respectively. The latter refers to standards for essential oil obtained from lavender that was obtained exclusively by seed and grew spontaneously or was cultivated in the south of France. Clonal lavender refers to those plants obtained from crops propagated through cuttings [1].
Table 1. Standards for L. angustifolia essential oil quality.
Compound European
Pharmacopoeia [5]		 ISO 3515:2002 [1]
Spontaneous
Genotype		 Clonally Propagated Lavender
France
(from Seed)		 France
‘Maillette’		 Bulgaria Russia Other
Origins
lavandulyl acetate >0.2 >2 <1.3 2–5 1–3.5 <8
lavandulol >0.1 >0.3 <0.5 >0.3 >0.1 <3
3-octanone 0.1–5 traces; <2 1–2.5 0.2–1.6 <0.6 <3
terpinen-4-ol 0.1–8 2–6 0.5–1.5 2–5 1.2–5 <8
linalol 20–45 25–38 30–45 22–34 20–35 20–43
linalyl acetate 25–47 25–45 33–46 30–42 29–44 25–47
limonene <1 <0.5 <0.3 <0.6 <1 <1
camphor <1.2 traces; <0.5 <1.2 <0.6 <0.6 <1.5
α-terpineol <2 <1 0.5–1.5 0.8–2 0.5–2 <2
1,8-cineole <2.5 <1 <0.5 <2 <2.5 <3
β-phellandrene n/a traces; <0.5 <0.2 <0.6 <1 <1
cis-β-ocimene n/a 4–10 <2.5 3–9 3–8 1–10
trans-β-ocimene n/a 1.5–6 <2 2–5 2–5 0.5–6
(S)-linalyl acetate <1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
(S)-linalol <12 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Note: numeric values in table represent %; minimum—maximum; n/a—unspecified.
One study showed that volatile profiles of both the calyx and whole flowering tops are consistent with the lavender ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standard, but by contrast, the volatile profiles for the corolla and leaf alone are not within lavender standard ranges. Compared to the corolla, leaf and entire flowering top, the essential oil from the calyx is low in camphor and borneol, hence its superior characteristics. If an abundance of leafy plant material is harvested once with the flowering tops, the quality of the essential oil obtained could be unintentionally reduced (compared to carefully harvesting flowering tops alone) and will present elevated camphor levels [6].
There are various certification schemes for agri-sector products worldwide that can attest to certain qualitative particularities of raw material and final product, and these can be grouped into several typologies [7]. Among these, some that may present potential interest for lavender are presented below:
  • good agricultural practices (GAP)
  • origin certification schemes that guarantee specific origin/quality/attributes
  • organic product schemes
  • multi-purpose schemes that can combine GAP and quality management
  • traceability and safety schemes
  • other schemes: non-GMO, Fairtrade [7].
Within the European Union, organic essential oils must be obtained from crops that comply with European and national regulations for organic agriculture [8]. The land must be converted and applicants must undergo inspections on site. Examples of some organic lavender essential oil certifications in France are ECO-Cert, Qualité-France, SOCOTEC [9].
In the European Union, the regulation of commercialized essential oils is under the incidence of Regulation EC Number 1907/2006 EC on ‘Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals’ (REACH) [10], and other regulations, depending on destination of use, for example, when the destination of use is flavorings in the food industry (Regulation EC Number 1334/2008) or products in the cosmetic sector (Regulation EC Number 1223/2009). Through the REACH regulation, the ‘European Chemical Agency’ (ECHA) was instituted with the purpose of gathering, managing and supervising the registration of chemicals by the manufacturers and importers. In addition, two entities, the European Federation of Essential Oils (EFEO) and the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) release guides on substance identification and environmental assessment guidance on essential oils that assist both manufacturers and other industry and market actors [11].
In general, variations in the composition of essential oils of aromatic plants can influence their biological activities [12], and it was proposed that the synergistic effect of various compounds within an essential oil contributes to their overall effectiveness [13].

3. Safety and Authenticity Issues

In general, the aroma profile of essential oils can be given by a dominant constituent or a mixture of constituents, depending on botanical identity [12]. Given the high demand in late years, adulteration is not uncommon across supply chains of essential oils [14][15], and consists in the addition of cheaper essential oils and cheap synthetic materials, or dilution with mineral or vegetable oil, among the most common alterations [14][16]. The simplest way to test for adulteration of an essential oil with vegetable oils is to place a drop on the filter paper and examine it after 24 hours. If a translucent spot is observed, then it indicates that fatty acids (e.g., vegetable oils) were added to that essential oil [14]. The adulteration of lavender essential oil is also achieved by the addition of lavandin and/or spike lavender essential oil, which have higher camphor levels (>6%). Therefore, to determine the authenticity and quality of lavender essential oil, it is important to distinguish the cause of elevated camphor levels. This could be attributed to either the addition of lavandin/spike lavender or to mixing lavender flowering tops with high quantities of lavender leaves for extraction [6]. The usual instrumental procedure to differentiate between authentic and inauthentic/adulterated lavender essential oils is to evaluate the chemical composition in regard to the normalized percentage area or true quantitation of the diagnostic markers, which must be then compared against reference thresholds stipulated in pharmacopoeias or ISO norm monographies [14]. Investigation of 72 lavender essential oil samples showed that unidentified/commercial samples exhibited wider variation in their composition than authentic ones of known origin. As for the indicator compounds, in some samples 1,8-cineole, linalool, camphor, and linalyl acetate exceeded the ISO standards, while 3-octanone, cis/trans-β-ocimenes, lavandulol and terpinen-4-ol were outside the range of the authentic ones. Authors showed that ISO standards alone are not always sufficient to distinguish between authentic and adulterated essential oil. The Q-Index method based on multiple markers was shown as a highly sensitive tool for discriminating between genuine and adulterated volatile oils [17]. As for the borderline samples that cannot be placed clearly in either category, enantiomeric recognition and an absolute quantitative analysis of a set of marker compounds can be used in addition to the normalized relative abundances for identifying adulterations [14].
When it comes to essential oils, safety and efficient doses are aspects to be considered in their use and application [13]. Because authentic essential oils are highly concentrated, they require caution when they are being used [18]. However, lavender essential oil is considered one of the mildest known plant-derived essential oils, and therefore has been used for topical application undiluted on skin. One of the few studies on the cytotoxicity of lavender essential oil showed that dermal cells presented a viability of 80%–100% at concentrations up to 0.125% (v/v), but not beyond [19]. This suggested that dilution of lavender essential oil when it is used on skin is prudent to prevent sensitization. Results also suggested that linalyl acetate might have a higher chance of causing a skin reaction than the linalool from the composition of lavender essential oil [19]. There have been conflicting reports in the scientific literature on the potential estrogen-like or anti-androgen action of lavender essential oil. A recent critical review of scientific literature by Hawkins et al. [20], found no indication based on the current knowledge that there is any link between lavender essential oil and endocrine disruption in children.

References

  1. ISO 3515:2002; Oil of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.). ISO: Geneva, Switzerland, 2002.
  2. Aprotosoaie, A.C.; Gille, E.; Trifan, A.; Luca, V.S.; Miron, A. Essential Oils of Lavandula Genus: A Systematic Review of Their Chemistry. Phytochem. Rev. 2017, 16, 761–799.
  3. Bogdan, M.; Bungau, S.; Tit, D.M.; Copolovici, L.; Behl, T.; Otrisal, P.; Aleya, L.; Cioca, G.; Berescu, D.; Uivarosan, D.; et al. Variations in the Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Moldoveanca 4 Romanian Variety. Rev. Chim. 2020, 71, 307–315.
  4. Lis-Balchin, M. Lavender: The Genus Lavandula; Taylor and Francis: London, UK, 2002; ISBN 0-203-21652-0.
  5. European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare. European Pharmacopoeia, 10th ed.; European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare of the Council of Europe: Strasbourg, France, 2009; Volume 1, ISBN 978-92-871-8912-7.
  6. Wilson, T.M.; Poulson, A.; Packer, C.; Carlson, R.E.; Buch, R.M. Essential Oil Profile and Yield of Corolla, Calyx, Leaf, and Whole Flowering Top of Cultivated Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (Lamiaceae) from Utah. Molecules 2021, 26, 2343.
  7. Cherver, T.; Gonçalves, A.; Lepeule, C. Farm Certification Schemes for Sustainable Agriculture—State of Play and Overview in the EU and in Key Global Producing Countries, Concepts and Methods; European Parliment—AGRI Committe: Brussels, Belgium, 2022; pp. 1–103.
  8. European Commission. Agriculture and Rural Development Organic Production and Products—European Union Regulations. Available online: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/organic-farming/organic-production-and-products_en (accessed on 7 January 2023).
  9. Peter, K.V. Handbook of Herbs and Spices: Volume 2; Woodhead Publishing: Abington Cambridge, UK, 2004; ISBN 978-1-85573-721-1.
  10. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament; European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: Bilbao, Spain, 2014.
  11. Essential Oils—ECHA. Available online: https://echa.europa.eu/support/substance-identification/sector-specific-support-for-substance-identification/essential-oils (accessed on 12 June 2022).
  12. Lee, Y.L.; Ding, P. Production of Essential Oil in Plants: Ontogeny, Secretory Structures and Seasonal Variations. Pertanika J. Sch. Res. Rev. 2016, 2, 1–10.
  13. Elshafie, H.S.; Camele, I. An Overview of the Biological Effects of Some Mediterranean Essential Oils on Human Health. BioMed Res. Int. 2017, 2017, e9268468.
  14. Capetti, F.; Marengo, A.; Cagliero, C.; Liberto, E.; Bicchi, C.; Rubiolo, P.; Sgorbini, B. Adulteration of Essential Oils: A Multitask Issue for Quality Control. Three Case Studies: Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck and Melaleuca Alternifolia (Maiden & Betche) Cheel. Molecules 2021, 26, 5610.
  15. Do, T.K.T.; Hadji-Minaglou, F.; Antoniotti, S.; Fernandez, X. Authenticity of Essential Oils. TrAC Trends Anal. Chem. 2015, 66, 146–157.
  16. Bounaas, K.; Bouzidi, N.; Daghbouche, Y.; Garrigues, S.; de la Guardia, M.; El Hattab, M. Essential Oil Counterfeit Identification through Middle Infrared Spectroscopy. Microchem. J. 2018, 139, 347–356.
  17. Wang, M.; Zhao, J.; Ali, Z.; Avonto, C.; Khan, I.A. A Novel Approach for Lavender Essential Oil Authentication and Quality Assessment. J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. 2021, 199, 114050.
  18. Tisserand, R.; Young, R. Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals; Elsevier Health Sciences: London, UK, 2013; ISBN 978-0-7020-5434-1.
  19. Prashar, A.; Locke, I.C.; Evans, C.S. Cytotoxicity of Lavender Oil and Its Major Components to Human Skin Cells. Cell Prolif. 2004, 37, 221–229.
  20. Hawkins, J.; Hires, C.; Dunne, E.; Baker, C. The Relationship between Lavender and Tea Tree Essential Oils and Pediatric Endocrine Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Complement. Ther. Med. 2020, 49, 102288.
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Subjects: Plant Sciences
Contributors MDPI registered users' name will be linked to their SciProfiles pages. To register with us, please refer to https://encyclopedia.pub/register :
Ioana Crișan
,
Andreea Ona
,
Dan Vârban
,
Leon Muntean
,
Rodica Vârban
,
Andrei Stoie
,
Tania Mihăiescu
,
Adriana Morea
View Times: 1.0K
Revisions: 2 times (View History)
Update Date: 13 Mar 2023
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