How is this lemongrass oil extracted?
The standard grade is produced by steam distillation — the industrial mainstream for food, cosmetic, FCC and ISO grades. Fresh or semi-dried grass blades and aerial stems are chopped to 3-5 cm pieces, loaded into 304 stainless-steel distillation vessels, and treated with saturated steam at 0.12-0.15 MPa for 3-5 hours. The condenser water is kept at ≤28°C to minimise citral losses in the water phase.
Extraction Technology
| Method | Notes | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Steam distillation | Industrial mainstream; 0.12-0.15 MPa, 3-5 h, condensate ≤28°C | Food / cosmetic / FCC / ISO full production |
| Hydro-distillation | Traditional small mills; citral partially isomerises on long hot-water contact | Low-end soap / repellent grades |
| SFME (microwave) | Solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction; +8-15% citral retention vs hydro | Organic / premium lines |
| SFE-CO2 | 35°C / 30 MPa; no solvent residue, thermal-sensitive citral fully retained | High-end aromatherapy / healthcare |
| Rectification | Vacuum column (15-25 theoretical plates, ≤5 kPa, kettle ≤105°C) raises citral from 65% to 75-85% | FCC / export grades |
- Oil yield: 0.2-0.8% from fresh grass; 0.5-1.5% from semi-dried grass (drying concentrates the oil pockets)
- The first-run crude oil is dried over anhydrous Na2SO4, then clarified through a 0.45 μm plate-and-frame filter
- High-end batches (SFE-CO2 or rectified) are available on request for customers who need maximum citral purity
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This article was published on 2026-09-07, and last updated on 2026-09-07. The article will be continuously updated.
