Almond Bitter Oil FPA Morocco
Bitter Almond Oil FPA is mainly composed of benzaldehyde (over 98%), which gives the oil a strong and bitter almond scent.
Although bitter almond essential oil is often replaced by benzaldehyde, it is still used today to add a natural touch to natural formulations, particularly in almond or cherry accords.
The bitter almond comes from the fruit of Prunus armeniaca or the apricot tree. It is a small tree that grows to eight to 12 metres in height and bears white to pinkish blooms. The fruit is a drupe that resembles a small peach, yellow to orange in colour, often tinged with red on the side enjoying the greatest sun exposure. The kernel, or almond, is hidden in a hard shell at the fruit’s centre.
To extract the essential oil, the almonds are pressed and ground or crushed. This produces a vegetable oil and a solid residue called defatted meal. The essential oil is obtained by distilling the solid residue left after grinding. During the grinding process, the amygdalin contained in the almond is converted into hydrocyanic acid and benzaldehyde, the latter being responsible for the almond-like smell. The hydrocyanic acid, also known as prussic acid is removed to produce a Free from Prussic Acid quality (FPA) of Almond Bitter Oil.
In the 17th century, Jean-Baptiste La Quintinie, gardener to the gourmand Louis XIV, planted many trees in the king’s kitchen garden. The following century saw the start of the large-scale development of apricot growing in France.
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