SCHINUS MOLLE OIL

Chemical properties

Red/Pink pepper oils, red berries oil are obtained from the leaves and/or berries of the red pepper trees (Schinusmolle L. var. molle, PeruvianorCalifornian pepper tree; Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, Brazilian pepper tree; Anacardiaceae). The red pepper tree is grown in many tropical and subtropical areas, for example, Central and South America, Africa.The oils are prepared by steam distillation or CO₂ extraction.
Red pepper oils are clear mobile pale yellow to yellow liquids with a fresh, peppery, warm, spicy odor.
d²⁰₂₀ 0.820–0.880; n²⁰_D 1.460–1.499; α²⁰_D + 25 ° to +80 ° (exact data depend on the plant material used and the production method). Main constituents of red pepper oils are monoterpene hydrocarbons such as α-pinene, α- and β-phellandrene, limonene, and 3-carene.
Red pepper oil is mainly used to create fresh, peppery top notes in perfume compositions.

Chemical properties

The oil is obtained by steam distillation of the fruits (berries) of the small or medium size plant. It has a fresh, spicy odor and flavor. The oil was a popular substitute for black pepper oil during shortages of the latter; today it is used only sporadically in flavor work.

Physical properties

The oil is a pale green to olive-green liquid.

Occurrence

Found in the berries (fruit) of Schinus molle L. (Farn. Anacardiaceae) (Gildemeister & Hoffman, 1959; Guenther, 1952).

Preparation

By steam distillation of the fruits of S. molle L. (Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, 1975).

Definition

Extractives and their physically modified derivatives. Schinus molle, Anacardiaceae.

Essential oil composition

Main constituents include carvacrol, phellandrene, thyrnol, pinene, an unidentified resin and a few high-molecular-weight ketones. The oil from fruits contains a number of terpenic hydrocarbons (limonene 4 to 9%, a-phellandrene ~25%, β-phellandrene ~7%, myrcene 5 to 19%; α-pinene 1 to 3%, δ-cadinene 4 to 7%, π-cymene 6 to 12%), phenolic compound (carvacrol 0.6 to 1%), ester (methyl octanoate 0.2 to 1.6%) (CoE, 2000). The essential oil from leaves contains monoterpinic and sesquiterpenic hydrocarbons (β-pinene ~14%, sabinene ~13%, myrcene ~5%, limonene