| abstract |
A RELATIVELY STABLE, NON-CRYSTALLIZABLE ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION IN FINELY DIVIDED, ROD-LIKE PARTICULATE FORM, AND A METHOD OF PRODUCING SUCH A COMPOSITION FROM AN AQUEOUS MIXTURE OF SUCROSE, HYDROLYZED CEREAL SOLIDS, HAVING A DEXTROSE EQUIVALENT (DE) OF LESS THAN ABOUT 20, AND PREFERABLY BETWEEN 10 AND 15, AND AN EMULSIFIER. AN AQUEOUS MIXTURE OF THE SUCROSE, HYDROLYZED CEREAL SOLIDS AND AN EMULSIFIER IS SUBJECTED TO AGITATION AND TO HEATING AT BOILING TEMPERATURES UNTIL THE BOILING POINT OF THE MIXTURE IS AT ABOUT 122*C. THE RESULTING EMULSION IS THEN COOLED TO ABOUT 114*C. WHILE MIXING THEREWITH THE DESIRED ESSENTIAL OIL, EITHER WITH ADDED EMULSIFIER OR WITH SUFFICIENT EMULSIFIER PRESENT TO FORM A HOMOGENEOUS MELT. THE MELT IS THEN EXTRUDED INTO A RELATIVELY COOL LIQUID SOLVENT, SUCH AS ISOPROPANOL, TO FORM THE MELT INTO RODS AND TO WASH OFF ANY EXCESS OF ESSENTIAL OIL FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID RODS. THEREAFTER, THE RODS ARE SUBJECTED TO CENTRIFUGAL ACTION TO REMOVE THE EXCESS LIQUID SOLVENT. PRIOR TO FINAL DRYING OF THE ROD-LIKE PARTICLES, AN INERT FINELY DIVIDED SILICA, SUCH AS A PYROGENIC SILICA, IS MIXED WITH THE BROKEN UP RODS AND THE MIXTURE THEN SUBJECTED TO SCREENING AND FINAL DRYING TO PRODUCE A PARTICULATE ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION IN THE FORM OF FINE ROD-LIKE PARTICLES HAVING LITTLE OR NO TENDENCY TO STICK TOGETHER DUE TO THE ADMIXTURE OF THE SILICEOUS INERT MATERIAL. IN THE FINAL SCREENING AND DRYING STEPS ANY OVERLY FINE AND OVERLY COARSE PARTICLES OF THE PYROGENIC SILICA AND/OR OR THE PARTICULATE ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION ARE SCREENED OUT OF THE PRODUCT BEFORE THE SAME IS PACKED INOT CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE AND SUBSEQUENT USE. |