MadSci Network: Biochemistry |
What in an orange peel makes it smell orangey?
Hi - I would like to know what compounds are responsible for producing the orangey smell in orange peel? If ever we are going to get oil from the orange peel how much oil would a peel give us? Thank you. For the first question, you should consult the Merck Index under "Oil of Orange." The major constituent is d-limonene (90%); other fragrant compounds include citral, decyl aldehyde, methyl anthranilate, linalool and terpineol. Notice that if you look under "Oil of Lemon" you get many of the same ingredients; my guess is that the harsher odor of lemons comes from the much larger amount of terpineol in lemon oil. As to the amount of oil obtained from a particular amount of orange peel, it sounds like a home experiment to me. Obviously it will vary depending on the variety of orange.
|
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Biochemistry.