Parsley (seeds) essential oil

origin: Mediterranean region, California, Germany, France, Belgium, Hungary, parts of Asia. Our oil comes from India.

oil content: seeds: 2–7%; plant: 0.05–0.3% (Our oil is obtained from seeds)

CAS registration number: 8000-68-8

chemical composition: 1. seed oil: apiol, myristicin, a-pinene,...
2. whole plant oil: myristicin (up to 85%), b-phellandrene, 1,3,8-p-menthatriene, myrcene, apiol, terpinolene, 1-methyl-4-isopropenylbenzene, a-pinene, b-pinene, trans-b-ocimene, g-terpinene, a-terpineol, a-copaene, b-caryophyllene, carotol,...

extraction: steam distillation from 1. seeds, 2. the whole plant; essential oil is sometimes also obtained from roots

properties: seed oil is a yellow or brownish viscous liquid, while plant oil is a pale yellow or greenish liquid with a moderately strong scent that is not the same as the parsley scent we are used to in cooking. The latter is in fact sweet, warm, and spicy

toxicity: both oils are somewhat toxic due to the presence of myristicin (toxic properties) and apiol (skin irritant); limited use is recommended and use during pregnancy should be avoided

use: in some pharmaceutical preparations, including carminative ones and those that promote digestion; seed oil is a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, cosmetic products, colognes, and perfumes, particularly in oriental and masculine fragrances; both oils are widely used as an additive in food products (meat products, side dishes, sauces, preserved products,...), alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages

blends well with the essential oils of: orange, rose, tea tree, sage

interesting fact: Although parsley is a staple on our tables today, this was not always the case in times gone by. Parsley was considered sacred and consecrated to the dead, and in Europe it was even believed that anyone who grew parsley in their garden would die within a year.