Does "adulteration" mean anything to you? If not, we will explain what it means.
You have certainly read "pure essential oils". But did you know that this often masks a very different reality?
Adulteration is a rather dishonest practice because it consists of mixing a "pure" product with another product, often of inferior quality. This will therefore impact the quality of the final product and present risks.
The 3 different types of adulteration
- An essential oil can be adulterated depending on the part of the plant used
This method is based on the chemical similarity of the different parts of the same plant. For example, some counterfeiters may mix an essential oil of cinnamon leaves with an essential oil of cinnamon bark.
- Adulteration to change the characteristics of the product
The objective is to make it correspond to the standards and therefore some will fill in the analytical gaps. To correct a low density, some counterfeiters may add mineral oil, for example.
- Adulteration to correct the olfactory characteristics of an essential oil
To do this, the counterfeiter will use "bouquets", composed of very powerful olfactory substances, and insert them into the adulterated product. Lemon essential oil can be reconstituted from orange terpenes to which a mixture of lemon essential oil, lemongrass (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt) and various synthetic compounds can be added.
Adulteration of Damascena rose essential oil
Adulteration of Damascena rose (Rosa x damascena Miller) essential oil is very common. Because of its price and olfactory characteristics, Damascena rose essential oil is often modified in order to lower its price and enhance its olfactory profile.
The risks of adulteration
This practice can:
- be toxic, in cases where products are not to be mixed
- reduce the expected "characteristics" of the finished product
- be deceptive by charging for natural, synthetic products.
Checks are carried out to detect traces of adulteration, but at the same time techniques are being developed to disguise these same traces. It is also possible to imitate the same chromatographic profile!
Golgemma’s commitments
At Golgemma, our "quality control" laboratories perform dozens of cross-analyses to detect the subtlest modifications.
We provide you with a strict and complete regulatory documentation for each of our products (technical data sheet / certificate of analysis / safety data sheet / allergen certificate and in some cases, an IFRA certificate) and when applicable, we also provide you with the certification documents for the products certified organic, NOP, FFL, cosmos.