Citral is present in the oils of several plants, including the following:
- Lemon myrtle (90 to 98%)
- Lemongrass (65 to 85%)
- Lemon verbena (30 to 35%)
- Lime (6 to 9%)
- Lemon (2 to 5%)
What is a citral plant?
Citral is an aldehyde mixture of geranial and neral. With a lemony aroma, it can be found in lemongrass, lemon scented tea tree, lemon, myrtle, verbena, Melissa, lemon basil, and lemon thyme.
What is citral oil made from?
Citral is present in the oils of several plants, including lemon myrtle (90–98%), Litsea citrata (90%), Litsea cubeba (70–85%), lemongrass (65–85%), lemon tea-tree (70–80%), Ocimum gratissimum.
Where is citral found in perfumes?
Citral is found in perfumes for its citrus fragrance. How can you avoid contact with Citral? Avoid products that list any of the following names in the ingredients: What are some products that may contain Citral? A clinician's point of view. Additional resources and links for Citral.
How is the general population exposed to citral?
Monitoring and use data indicate that the general population may be exposed to citral via inhalation, ingestion of food, and dermal contact with this compound and other consumer products containing citral. (SRC) Citral is a constituent of many commercial oils such as lemon grass, verbena, lemon, and orange (1,2).
What is the main source of citral?
Chemically, citral is a mixture of two aldehydes that have the same molecular formula but different structures. Lemongrass oil contains 70–80 percent citral, which may be isolated by distillation. Other natural sources include the oils of verbena and citronella. Citral can be synthesized from myrcene.
What is citral used for?
Citral is used as a natural ingredient in foods, cosmetics, and beverages for its strong lemon aroma and flavor. Essential oils containing citral have been shown to have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties, making citral a natural preservative.
Do lemons contain citral?
Citral is a chemical compound found in several plants that gives them a “lemony” scent and taste. It is found in lemons, lemongrass, lemon verbena, and of course, lemon myrtle.
What essential oils contain citral?
Citral is present in the oils of several plants, including lemon myrtle (90–98%), Litsea citrata (90%), Litsea cubeba (70–85%), lemongrass (65–85%), lemon tea-tree (70–80%), Ocimum gratissimum (66.5%), Lindera citriodora (about 65%), Calypranthes parriculata (about 62%), petitgrain (36%), lemon verbena (30–35%), lemon ...
Is citral and lemongrass the same?
Lemongrass oil contains citral at concentrations of approximately 65-85% w/w, and lemon oil contains citral at a concentration of approximately 2-5% w/w.
What is citral in skin care?
Citral is a component of lemongrass oil and the oils of verbena, lemon myrtle, lemon and orange. In cosmetics and personal care products, Citral is used in the formulation of many types of products including aftershave lotions, bath products, moisturizers, perfumes and colognes, skin care products and suntan products.
How do you extract citral from lemongrass?
In this research, a steam-water distillation technique was applied to extract the essential oil from the lemongrass. The effects of sample particle size and bed volume on yield and quality of citral oil produced were investigated. The drying and refining time of 2 hours were used as fixed variables.
Is citral good for skin?
Citral is a thoroughly evaluated and commonly used fragrance ingredient. It has been identified by European Union scientific bodies as a potential skin sensitizer. This means that citral has the potential to cause a skin reaction (such as red, bumpy, or itchy skin).
How do you identify citral?
Check for flowers on the citrus tree. All of the trees flower before fruiting with small, white flowers. Lemon, lime and orange trees have flowers that have a strong, sweet fragrance, while the grapefruit tree flowers do not have any aroma. Lemon and lime flowers also have a slightly pink to purple-tinged underside.
Does citral contain vitamin C?
It contains sulfur compounds (allicin, alliin, allyl sulfides), terpenes (linalool, α-phellandrene, citral, geraniol), and high levels of phosphorous, calcium, iron, selenium, germanium, vitamins like riboflavin, thiamine, nicotinic acid, and vitamin C.
Is citral soluble in water?
Citral appears as a clear yellow colored liquid with a lemon-like odor. Less dense than water and insoluble in water.
Is Citral A terpene?
Citral is a common terpene found in CBD products, but can also be found naturally in a variety of everyday plants such as citrus fruits, lemongrass and apricots. Citral is also commonly used in fragrances, household cleaning products, and toiletries due to its natural citrus scent.
Is citral safe for skin?
Citral is a thoroughly evaluated and commonly used fragrance ingredient. It has been identified by European Union scientific bodies as a potential skin sensitizer. This means that citral has the potential to cause a skin reaction (such as red, bumpy, or itchy skin).
Is citral toxic?
Citral appears as a clear yellow colored liquid with a lemon-like odor. Less dense than water and insoluble in water. Toxic by ingestion. Used to make other chemicals.
Is citral a carcinogen?
Citral was not carcinogenic in F344/N rats or male B6C3F1 mice. However, there was a marginal increase in malignant lymphoma in female mice that may have been related to citral.
Is citral soluble in water?
Citral (C10H16O), also called 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal, a pale yellow liquid, with a strong lemon odour, that occurs in the essential oils of plants. It is insoluble in water but soluble in ethanol (ethyl alcohol), diethyl ether, and mineral oil.
What is the difference between citral and nerol?
Citral has a strong lemon (citrus) odor and is used as an aroma compound in perfumery. (Nerol, another perfumery compound, has a less intense but sweeter lemon odor.) In addition, Citral is used as a flavor and for fortifying lemon oil. It also has strong antimicrobial qualities, and pheromonal effects in acari and insects.
Is citral a carcinogen?
Citral has been extensively tested, with no known genotoxicity or carcinogenic effect.
Citral Uses
Citral is commonly used in beverages, foods, cosmetics, and other products. Its possible carcinogenic effects were investigated because of its versatile use in many products like citral oil and citral good scents. Moreover, in the investigation, two rats – one male and one female were used.
Citral Oil
Citral is a natural substance that can be obtained from plant oils. Lemongrass oil contains 75 to 80 % citral that may be isolated through the distillation process. Some other natural sources include verbena oil and citronella oil. Citral can be obtained from myrcene. It is generally found in the peel of the orange.
Citral Medicinal Uses
Citral has beautiful features like incense, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, etc. It can also be used as a bug repellent. Here are some properties described that add values of citral to be used in medicines.
How can you avoid contact with Citral?
Avoid products that list any of the following names in the ingredients:
Additional resources and links for Citral
To submit resources or links, please fill out the submission form at the top of this page.
Overview
Citral is an acyclic monoterpene aldehyde, and being a monoterpene, it is made of two isoprene units. Citral is a collective term which covers two geometric isomers that have their own separate names; the E-isomer is named Geranial (trans-Citral) or Citral A. The Z-isomer is named Neral (cis-Citral) or Citral B. These stereoisomers occur as a mixture, not necessarily racemic; e.g. in essent…
Occurrence
Citral is present in the oils of several plants, including lemon myrtle (90–98%), Litsea citrata (90%), Litsea cubeba (70–85%), lemongrass (65–85%), lemon tea-tree (70–80%), Ocimum gratissimum (66.5%), Lindera citriodora (about 65%), Calypranthes parriculata (about 62%), petitgrain (36%), lemon verbena (30–35%), lemon ironbark (26%), lemon balm (11%), lime (6–9%), lemon (2–5%), and orange. Further, in the lipid fraction (essential oil) of Australian ginger (51-71%) Of the many sou…
Uses
Citral has a strong lemon (citrus) scent and is used as an aroma compound in perfumery. It is used to fortify lemon oil. (Nerol, another perfumery compound, has a less intense but sweeter lemon note.) The aldehydes citronellal and citral are considered key components responsible for the lemon note with citral preferred.
It also has pheromonal effects in acari and insects.
Medical exploration
In a report (1997), Citral is mentioned as cytotoxic to P(388) mouse leukaemia cells. It has 'strong' antimicrobial qualities.
Adverse effects
Two studies showed 1–1.7% of people to be allergic to citral, with allergies frequently reported. Citral on its own is strongly sensitizing to allergies; the International Fragrance Association recommends that citral only be used in association with substances that prevent a sensitizing effect. Citral has been extensively tested, with no known genotoxicity or carcinogenic effect.
See also
• Citronellal
• Geraniol
• Limonene
• Nerol
• Vaporizer
External links
• MSDS