Variations in the essential oils from ylang‐ylang (Cananga odorata [Lam.] Hook f. & Thomson forma genuina) in the Western Indian Ocean islands

Abstract

ABSTRACTYlang‐ylang essential oil is an important raw material for the fragrance industry. Despite its economic importance, to the best of our knowledge, no study has yet been undertaken to assess the chemical polymorphism of the different production areas. This underestimated variability is an interesting source of raw material for perfumers. That is why the variation in the chemical composition of four fractions of the essential oils extracted from Cananga odorata, grown in four locations Grande Comore, Mayotte, Nossi Bé and Ambanja, was studied. A total of 119 compounds, representing 85.7–96.4% of the total essential oil composition, were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and quantified by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. Thirty‐two compounds previously unreported in ylang‐ylang essential oil were identified. The distinction between the Comoros and Madagascar groups was made on the basis of the chemical classes. It was possible to significantly distinguish the Grande Comore and Mayotte essential oil samples, as well as the Ambanja and Nossi Bé essential oil samples, on the basis of their main compounds. The aromatic compounds profile for the origin of each essential oil fraction was established. Regression trees were built, allowing the provenance of the essential oils prepared at the laboratory level to be easily differentiated on the basis of a limited number of major compounds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.