Yield and chemical composition of essential oil of the chamomile [Chamomilla recutita (L.) Raeuchert] extracted for steam distillation

Abstract

The distillation process was periodically monitored, on Campo Largo-PR, in "CHAMEL Ind. e Com. De Produtos Naturais LTDA.", in the 2005 harvest. The hydrodistillation and GC-MS analyses were done in the UFPR Laboratories. The obtained data indicate that the chamomile essential oil extracted through the distiller model used presented low quality. Great part of the essential oil, besides their main components, it was being lost with the hidrolato. In the distillation process the periodic evaluation of quality and efficiency indicators is indispensable to establish appropriate operational conditions.