Selection of the raw material for efficient distillation of cinnamon leaf oil

Abstract

A laboratory experiment test was conducted in the Cinnamon Research Station, Thihagoda to assess the best resting period for cinnamon leaves prior to distillation, to maximize the leaf oil output and its quality. There were two treatments (leaves with twigs and without twigs) with three replicates. Samples were subjected to distillation at daily intervals for 5 days, to detect the optimum resting time prior to distillation; quantity and quality o f the leaf oil obtained in each treatment were assessed. Clevenger's arm method was used to determine the oil yield, moisture content was determined by the Dean and Stark method and GLC was used to analyze oil quality. While the average oil yield o f leaves with twigs was 1.80%, leaves alone had an oil yield o f 2.32%), which was significantly (P=0.05) higher by 28%. The maximum oil yield was observed after a resting period o f 5 days in both treatments. The average oil yield o f leaves on the 5th day was 2.63%) and that o f leaves with twigs was 2.32%. At this stage, the moisture content o f leaves and leaves with twigs were 18% and 28% respectively. The eugenol content in leaves without twigs was 10.8% higher than that o f leaves with twigs. Cinnamaldehyde content o f leaves without twigs was lower by 160% than that o f leaves with twigs.