This article should not be confused with other meanings of the word
absoluteSimilar to
essential oils, absolutes are concentrated, highly-
aromatic, oily mixtures extracted from plants. Whereas essential oils can typically be produced through
steam distillation, absolutes require the use of
solvent extraction techniques. First, an
organic solvent, such as
hexane, is added to the plant material to help extract the
hydrophobic compounds. This solution is filtered and concentrated by distillation to produce a waxy mass called concrete. The lower molecular weight, fragrant compounds are extracted from the concrete into
ethanol. When the ethanol evaporates, an oil -- the absolute -- is left behind.
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