Coriander spice oil: Effects of fruit crushing and distillation time on yield and composition

Crushing intensity and distillation time were evaluated for their effects o n the oil yield and composition of steam-distilled essential oil from fruit s of Coriandrum sativum var. microcarpum L. A comparison of oils produced b y laboratory and pilot-scale stills showed that the two still types gave co mparable yields and oil composition. The laboratory still was then used to compare oil yields and compositions from fruits crushed at three different intensities, at intervals during a distillation period of 60 min. Both crus hing intensity and distillation time had significant (P < 0.05) effects on the yield and composition of the oil. The maximum oil yield was less from t he light-crushed fruits, but the rate of oil recovery was significantly (P < 0.05) higher. From the light-crushed fruits, 95% of the maximum yield was extracted in 22.5 min compared with 32 and 39 min for the standard and hea vy-crushed fruits, respectively. The effect of crushing intensity on oil co mposition was most pronounced on the low-boiling-point alpha -pinene and on the higher-boiling-point geranyl acetate. Crushing had little effect on li nalool content, but distillation time could be manipulated to alter the lin alool content of the oil.