Analysis of essential basil oils - CO2 extracts and steam-distilled oils

Essential basil oils, produced by supercritical CO2 extraction respectively steam distillation from raw material of different proveniences (Albania; E gypt; basil customary in the Vietnamese cookery purchased from an Asian foo d store) were analysed by HPLG and GC for methyl chavicol, eugenol, methyl cinnamate, methyl eugenol, linalool, alpha -pinene, beta -pinene, 1,8-cineo le, camphor, trans-caryophyllene, geraniol and terpinen-4-ol. For the purpo se of examination of basil oil HPLC has been an unusual method. It was foun d to be a valuable addition to the GC analysis and lead to characteristic,, fingerprints" for the different types of basil oils. From the same batch of raw material CO2 extraction gave a smaller yield of oil and constituents c ompared with the steam-distillation. Basil CO2 extracts are not considered direct substitutes to steam-distilled essential oils; rather, they are spec ialty products employed in the creations of flavours for products which req uire an especially fine sensory profile.