Chemical characterization of essential oils of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi L.)

The aroma is a very important factor in the properties of the food, followed by the flavor, texture and color. The essential oil obtained from citrus peel, is rich in volatile compounds that give flavor, so have applications in the food industry and in the field of cosmetology, aromatherapy, and perfume. The volatile components of grapefruit peel essential oil (Citrus paradisi L.) grown in the Mara county of Zulia state, (Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela) were isolated by the hydrodistillation method and determined by gas chromatography with FID detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The essential oil components were identified by the comparison the retention times with standards and mass spectra, using a HP-5 capillary column. A total of 50 components were identified in the grapefruit essential oil. The monoterpene limonene was the most abundant: 70.04%. The aldehydes were detected in proportions of 6.32%, while the alcohols in a 7.88%, constituting the main components in the oxygenated fraction. The sesquiterpenes represented the lowest proportion of components, however the sesquiterpene found in greater proportion was (E) caryophyllene with 1.64%. The composition of the constituents of grapefruit Venezuelan essential oil is similar to grapefruit essential oil studied in other countries, so it is suggested its production in this country.