Guest guest Posted November 30, 2001 Report Share Posted November 30, 2001 Thank you for that wonderfully detailed and informative explination Butch! It's pretty sad that more suppliers WON'T take that extra step to prove to their customers what they say they have is REALLY what the customer is getting ....whether the oil is expensive like Rose Otto or inexpensive like Orange EO its nice to know you are INDEED getting what you are paying for (ESPECIALLY if you plan to use it in ANY " therapeutic " manner). *Smile* Chris (list mom) http://www.alittleolfactory.com Butch Owen wrote: >Hi y'all, > >It's almost 0300 in the morning here and I'm gonna go home and crash - >but afore I do - and based on the fact that we got some new folks on the >list that wanna learn about essential oils and such, here is the reply I >made a few minutes ago to another list .. to a lady that asked me what a >GC was .. y'all keep smiling, Butch >---- > >>What's a GC test? >> > >I'll try to keep this short .... not easy for me .... :-( GC means Gas >Chromatography - it's an analysis of an essential oil to determine the >chemical profile - sort of like a blood test but a lot more complicated >and more expensive. We also have a test called GC/MS which is GC plus >Mass Spectroscopy - which I prefer, and to simplify it's a mass detector >to determine the molecular weight of a given chemical component. > >We can go into Specific Gravity, Refractive Index and Optical Rotation >which are further tests to determine the purity and quality of an oil, >and most of my wholesale customers - and some retail - want copies of >these ... and they get them. > >There are a dozen or so techniques other than GC/MS, Infrared or Planar >Chromotography being a couple of those in fairly common use, but GC/MS >is the established and reliable technique for analyzing essential oils. > >Another technique GC/FT-IR, which stands for Gas Chromatography/Fourier >Transform Infrared Spectophotometry. This technique is also useful for >the analysis of EOs since it's possible to create libraries (archieves) >or use commercial libraries during the analysis. But it is also not as >popular and simple as GC/MS and it doesn't help the one paying for the >analysis as much as it does the analyst. > >I'll stick to GC/MS as it's the widely accepted technique and unless I >get into something technically deep - and that's not likely as I'm not >into chemistry projects, it's as much as I'll ever need - or pay for. > >The finest equipment can be defeated by a weak analyst - technicians >must know what they're looking for and they have to know the standard >for comparison - that is, what should be the profile of a typical sample >of Origanum vulgare produced from wild-grown plants harvested in Central >Anatolia or the expected results of a Lavandula stoechas from France >versus one from Turkey - there will be differences, and that's a very >important reason to know the ORIGIN of an oil. > >I have all of my oils GC tested for a number of reasons but for the oils >we produce here in Turkey, it has nothing to do with determining if the >oil has been adulterated - I know it hasn't as I know it came directly >from the still. But I am looking for the chemical profile to see if it >fits within the " footprint " or " range " that we think is acceptable for >that oil because even a pure oil can be a mediocre oil. > >Mediocre oils are (should be) sold as commercial oils to the food and >pharmaceutical and soaping industries because when they get through >playing with them, they will have lost part of their original identity >anyway. Unfortunately, many of these lower grade oils make it into the >Aromatherapy market ... :-( > >As I'm able to contract my distillation here in Turkey, I test so I can >avoid accepting commerical quality oils - my target is the AT industry. > >Smart chemists can fool a GC but distillers from third world or emerging >markets can't manipulate oils like this and wouldn't mess with it if >they could as it's too expensive and time-consuming. The French are >extremely good at this, especially with their 40/42 lavender which is >manipulated by man in a well-equipped laboratory - the Great Spirit >doesn't allow the same growing conditions year after year but they want >consistency in that lavender so they doctor it up a bit. It takes more >than GC/MS to detect this - but Chiral Column testing can usually do it >if the analyst is experienced. Normally, folks don't try to deceive >you, they just sell their 40/42 and it's up to the buyer to know what >they're getting because the sellers of 40/42 lavender often don't know >themselves what they have - like I've said and written many times >before, Caveat Emptor .... > >An experienced analyst looks for what's not there as much as for what's >there - if you increase one side of the equation, you will decrease the >other side - pure physics. The absence of a chemical that's normally >detected at .01% tells a lot to the smart analyst. If I increase the >major chemicals to get a more favorable product, I'm lowering the per- >centage of minor trace components - and we don't really know exactly why >a particular oil has therapeutic value but we can bet that the Great >Spirit didn't put any unnecessary crap in that oil just to fill a void, >so we logically conclude that upsetting that natural synergy will have >negative effects on the therapeutic value. > >Most people will tell you their oils are GC tested and that is normally >pure hogwash. Generally, they're told that by their source and they >believe it (want to believe it) and just pass along the information - >they are generally niave, not dishonest, but I personally see that as >also being just a little bit irresponsible because I believe we should >trust everyone but always lock our car. I've sold lots of oils in 100 >kilogram lots, and I've never sold an oil without providing a GC test >because big buyers want this and I also want it because I guarantee that >all my products are pure and unadulterated and my name is far more >important to me than money. I'm not greedy, I just try to keep my >credibility propped up as that's an inherent part of my interpretation >of what's ethical and moral when dealing in therapeutic grade oils... > >BUT, those who buy those bulk oils sell to wholesalers who pass them to >retailers who pass them to end-users and I'll bet you a pretty that you >cannot get a copy of that original GC test that I gave the bulk buyer - >the first buyer! Why? Danged good question, huh? We can guess the >answer has something to do with identity change - the oil profile may no >longer resemble the original GC analysis. It's not your retailer who is >messing with those oils - your retailer is also a victim but they are >helping to victimize themselves by not demanding a copy of that GC! > >If someone tells you their oils are GC tested, ask them to put up or >shut up. They'll probably give you a lot of shuck and jive but no GC! >Would you buy a refrigerator or car without a warranty? Would you buy a >pedigree dog without the AKC papers? But people will buy oils without >proof of purity. If the seller trusts their product, they will have the >bottles marked with a Lot Number and that Lot Number will correspond to >a Lot Number on the GC test. Also, that seller will give you a copy of >that GC if you want it - free! It doesn't matter whether or not you can >read it but it should give the seller a high pucker factor if they're >willing to risk passing on a phoney GC because some end-user or some >competitor might just get that oil analyzed and expose them as a fraud~! > >Without Lot Numbers there is a great potential for a seller to create an >alibi of error but with Lot Numbers, when they're caught short they have >no avenue of escape. Folks who buy my oils wholesale and then rebottle >can guarantee what they sell and can give you a copy of the GC test for >that oil - if they don't, then I will stop selling to them because they >are messing with my oils and I don't want to see such oils advertised as >being Origin Turkey or Origin Anatolian Treasures! But if they buy only >16 ounces from a source that doesn't provide them a copy of a GC, they >can't afford to pay $150 and up to test only 16 ounces of oil so they're >running on luck and/or guts. > >As I wrote above, I know most laypersons can't read a GC so I have the >analyst make comments at the end that can be understood by the average >buyer. Also, as I refuse around 1/3 of the oils I test, I have tests of >mediocre oils and the reasons for the refusal .... point being you'll >only see good GCs because the oils with bad GCs aren't offered for sale >by folks. > >Likewise, many of my wholesale/retail customers have become used to >being spoiled so they ask for the GCs on new oils I sell - not that they >can read them but they want them .. ;-p I have the analyst make a >statement at the end in laypersons terms and that gives them warm >fuzzies. > >I am not going to say that folks making soap need to buy tested oils >because they can get by with commercial grade oils .. and I'm speaking >purely from a point of safe use. BUT - if the oil you are buying for >making soap contains 50% synthetic chemicals that cost $5 a kilogram and >you are paying $50 a kilogram for that oil, then it's no longer a matter >of just safety - it's a matter of you getting ripped off. Take my word >for it .. MANY people and companies in this industry have been caught >selling adulterated essential oils .. it's a matter of greed. > >All (including commercial grade) unadulterated essential oils are safe >if used correctly and responsibly but some require a lot more attention >to detail - like cinnamon bark. Adulterated oils can be harmful >depending on the nature of the adulterant used and some folks aren't as >ethical as others - this holds true for Fragrance Oils as we have no >idea what they contain. Likewise, a pure oil can be dangerous if the >user is careless or irresponsible. > >Was the explanation short enough ?? .. ;-) > >Y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com > >Bulk/Wholesale/Retail GC Tested EOs, Rose Otto, Hydrosols, Extra-Virgin >Olive Oil, Rose Petal Jam, Turkish Deep-Pile Cotton Robes, etc. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2001 Report Share Posted November 30, 2001 Welcome you be and glad you enjoyed. Had a good night sleep I did .. went home and read a while. Have to either be exhausted to not need to escape reality before sleeping .. ;-p Sacked out till noon today and came into the office after 1:30 .. one of the bennies of being your own boss .. downside is nobody pays you .. ;-) Y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com > Thanks Butch. That was very informative. G'Night. > Linda > Red Barn Enterprises > New Candles!!!!!! New Candles!!!!!! > http://www.geocities.com/redbarnenterprises > Candles & Metal Home Decor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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