Increasing added-value of styrax resin through post-harvesting techniques improvement and essential oil based product innovation

Abstract

Styrax resin is a major non-timber forest product from North Sumatra, Indonesia. However, thousands tons of raw resin are sent abroad, while various styrax oil-based products worth US millions dollars are imported annually. Limited harvesting and processing technology are some of root of causes the lack of styrax oil-based industry development in Indonesia. The objective of this paper was an overview of styrax forest management in North Sumatra, efforts to increase the added-value both quality and quantity of resin, and an alternative processing of raw material into a perfume innovation. Benzoin resin is produced by the injured inner epithelial bark of styrax tree. Therefore, tapping of bark is the best effort to harvest the resin. But, styrax forest management has been carried out traditionally, including harvesting techniques. One of scheme to increase added-value is resins processing into a perfume products with high economic value. The innovative products begin from extracting a solid styrax resin into pure essential oil. There are two methods used, namely (a) extraction with solvent, and (b) distillation method. The amount of yield of benzoin oil produced by solvent method is influenced by incense grade from 23.9 to 34.6% and higher than another method. But distillation method also produces high quality and quantity of hydrosol (side product) with a distinctive aroma. Combined with various essential oils from Indonesia’s tropical forests, the styrax oil becomes a fixing agent for a signature perfume that formulated by considering the gradation of aroma in accordance with release of constituent essential oil particles. Processing resin into an essential oil increases the added-value of styrax resin. Innovation of styrax resin based products will explore the fragrance formulation of this commodities therefore reduce our country dependence on imported perfume and raw materials used for various personal cares.