Abstract

                                The peel which is the primary waste of citrus fruit processing is usually discarded. But these peels are good source of pectin, phenols, flavonoids, and limonene. The peel can be used to extract essential oil that can be used in food system. The present study aimed to extraction and analyse the chemical composition of citrus peel essential oil by hydrodistillation and soxhlet methodThe optimum condition for essential oil extraction by hydrodistillation method was standardized and the oil extraction was efficient at 95 °C. The extraction time was 3 hours with solid solvent ratio of 1:10 (g sample/mL of water). d-Limonene is the major compound present in all three citrus peel essential oils extracted by both the methods followed by β myrcene, α pinene, β pinene, and γ terpinene. Essential oil from fresh citrus peel contains many other compounds such as neral, caryophyllene, β bisbolene, etc. These bioactive volatile compounds are responsible for the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the essential oil.

Key words : Citrus peel; Essential oil; Hydrodistillation; Soxhlet extraction; Limonene