Type and magnitude of non-compliance and adulteration in neroli, mandarin and bergamot essential oils purchased on-line: potential consumer vulnerability

Marissa Pierson,Xavier Fernandez,Sylvain Antoniotti

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-90307-2

Abstract

Thirty-one samples of essential oils used both in perfumery and aromatherapy were purchased to business-to-consumers suppliers and submitted to standard gas chromatography-based analysis of their chemical composition. Their compliance with ISO AFNOR standards was checked and revealed, although ISO AFNOR ranges are relatively loose, that more than 45% of the samples analyzed failed to pass the test and more than 19% were diluted with solvents such as propylene and dipropylene glycol, triethyl citrate, or vegetal oil. Cases of non-compliance could be due to substitution or dilution with a cheaper essential oil, such as sweet orange oil, blending with selected compounds (linalool and linalyl acetate, maybe of synthetic origin), or issues of aging, harvest, or manufacturing that should be either deliberate or accidental. In some cases, natural variability could be invoked. These products are made available to the market without control and liability by resellers and could expose the public to safety issues, in addition to commercial prejudice, in sharp contrast with the ever-increasing regulations applying to the sector and the high demand of consumers for safe, controlled and traceable products in fragrances and cosmetic products.

Highlights

Thirty-one samples of essential oils used both in perfumery and aromatherapy were purchased to business-to-consumers suppliers and submitted to standard gas chromatography-based analysis of their chemical composition
Identity of analytes is obtained by coupling mass spectrometry (MS) with gas chromatography (GC–MS), determining retention indexes and co-injecting pure compounds if necessary, while their proportion in the mixture is determined by using a stable and universal detector such as a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) using the corrected response factor m ethod[2,3]
In the frame of a research program dedicated to the study of authenticity and naturality of essential oils, and considering the increasing interest of consumers for essential oils, natural products, home-made cosmetics and household products, we became interested in sampling essential oils purchased on-line to evaluate their quality

Summary

Introduction

Thirty-one samples of essential oils used both in perfumery and aromatherapy were purchased to business-to-consumers suppliers and submitted to standard gas chromatography-based analysis of their chemical composition. Their compliance with ISO AFNOR standards was checked and revealed, ISO AFNOR ranges are relatively loose, that more than 45% of the samples analyzed failed to pass the test and more than 19% were diluted with solvents such as propylene and dipropylene glycol, triethyl citrate, or vegetal oil. The analytical technique of choice for EOs is gas chromatography (GC) which allows for, when conducted with adequate and validated methods, both qualitative and quantitative characterization[1]. As potentially biologically active material, EOs sometimes contain significant quantities of toxic compounds such as methyleugenol (suspected carcinogen)[7,8], safrole (weak hepatocarcinogen among other adverse effects), estragole (suspected carcinogen and genotoxic)[9,10,11,12,13], furocoumarins (dermatitis inducers)[14,15], and allergenic compounds, among o thers[16]

Methods

Results

Conclusion