ISOLATION OF ESSENTIAL OIL FROM PEACH KERNELS AND ITS QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION BY THE METHOD OF XI DF
Abstract
This study evaluates the essential oil content of peach (Prunus persica L.) kernel as a phytochemical resource. The objective was to determine the yield of volatile components using a laboratory-scale extraction approach. Essential oil was obtained by steam distillation with a Ginzberg apparatus under controlled conditions. A 15.00 g sample of ground kernel yielded 0.12 ml of essential oil. Calculations, based on XI State Pharmacopoeia methodology and 10% moisture content, indicated an average oil content of 0.7%. The relatively low yield is attributed to the predominance of lipid fractions in the kernel, although the presence of volatile aromatic compounds was confirmed. The method demonstrated reproducibility and analytical reliability. The findings indicate that peach kernel, while not a rich source of essential oil, contains bioactive volatile components with potential applications in food, cosmetic, and fragrance industries, supporting its value as a secondary plant raw material for integrated processing.