Chemical Properties
Mandarin oil is obtained by cold-pressing the peel of mandarin oranges, the
fruits of Citrus reticulata Blanco (Rutaceae).The oil is a greenish-yellow to
reddish-orange liquid, depending on the degree of ripeness of the fruit and
themethod used for extraction, and with a pale blue fluorescence and a characteristic
odor, reminiscent of mandarin peel.
d2020 0.847–0.855/0.846–0.854/0.844–0.853; n20D 1.4732–1.458/1.4726–1.4753/1.4722–1.4746; α20D +69 ° to +75 °/+69 ° to +76 °/+70 ° to +79 °;
evaporation residue: 1.9–3.9%/1.8–3.9%/1.4–3.3% (data for green/yellow/
red mandarin oils); solubility: 1 vol in ≤10 vol 90% ethanol (all types) [793].
The main components of mandarin oils are limonene (65–75%) and γ-terpinene (16–22 %).Thecharacteristic feature ofmandarin oil is its content
of α-sinensal (0.1–0.5%), methyl N-methylanthranilate (0.3–0.7%, which is
responsible for fluorescence), and long-chained unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes.
Annual production of mandarin oil in Italy is ～100 t. Additional
quantities are produced in Spain, Brazil, China, Argentina, South Africa,
and so on. However, the sensory properties of the oils may be different from
those of the Italian type because other varieties of mandarins (clementines,
satsumas, etc.) are also processed in these regions. Such oils are also labeled
as tangerine oils.
The Italian mandarin oil is the preferred quality and is used to enrich the
bouquet of flavor compositions containing sweet orange oils as the main
component. It is also used in liqueurs and perfumery.
Physical properties
The physical–chemical constants of the oil vary, depending on the source. The oil is a clear,
dark orange to reddish-yellow or brownish-orange liquid. Mandarin oil of Italian production is a clear, mobile liquid, susceptible to
turbidity on cooling; the oil ranges from light orange to reddish-orange in color.
