Parsley Seed EO

Latin name :

Petroselinum crispum

Botanical profile :

Parsley is a plant belonging to the apiaceae family, as does Carrot Seed EO, Celery Seed EO and Lovage Seed EO for example. It belongs to the Petroselinum genus.

Geographic origin :

Parsley is a plant native to the asian region and is cultivated in Europe (France, Hungary, Germany, Belgium), in western Asia and in the USA.

Chemotypes :

A few varieties of parsley exist throughout the world, according to their aspect:
Petroselinum crispum var. crispum is the most well-known, cultivated in Europe (France, Hungary, Germany, Belgium), in western Asia and in the USA. Thi variety is used for cooking.
Petroselinum crispum var. neopolitanum or Italian parsley, also very much used for cooking.
Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum from Hamburg, cultivated for its edible roots.
Eventually, another species from another genus is to be quoted, as it is close to common parsley : Cryptotaenia japonica, japanese parsley, used over all in oriental cuisine.

Extraction process :

Parsley is a rooted and leafy plant measuring up to 80 centimeters high. Its top and bottom leaves are separated into two to three parts. Its ovoid seeds are green to brownish and measure up to 2 millimeters.
Parsley is an annual plant, cultivated in Europe and western Asia. It grows up in sunny places, with high drainage if possible. Plant multiplication is done by sowing the seeds, whose germination can last 3 to 6 weeks. Sowing is usually done in spring, in a slightly acid soil, putting space between the plants.
The leaves aspect in the major plant maturity indication.
Parlsey harvesting can be done manually or mecanically, although the manual method is prefered, not to damage the plant. Stems are grouped and cut a few centimeters above the soil. Stems are attached together to be stored. Cutting is usually done between april and december, that is to say alsmost all year. The best quality of parsley is obtained for plants sown at the beggining of springtime and cultivated at the end of the season.
The seeds are recovered from buds manually and are kept to be extracted or the be sown again.
After drying for a few days, the seeds are placed in a steam distillation tank. Steam is injected under high pressure and vapours are condensed at the top of the column. The oil is recovered by settling over the distillation water, in a florentine flask.
Leaves (Parsley Leaf EO) and seed of the plant can also be extracted, but have their particular smell, with simillar components. It's also possible to find Parsley Leaf Oleoresin and Parsley Seed Oleoresin. In those case, extraction are done thanks to organic solvents.
Being full of Myristicin, Parsley Seed EO can be used to extract it on a natural state, as well as Nutmeg EO.

Major Components :

Myristicin (35-40%)
Apiole (15-20%)
Alpha-Pinene (15-20%)
Beta-Pinene (10-15%)
2,3,4,5-tetramethoxy-allylbenzene (5-10%)
Elemicin (≈5%)
Beta-Phellandrene (≈2%)