Green Tangerine

The botanical source is Citrus reticulata Blanco, the accepted name of a species of the family Rutaceae. The composition of mandarin peel oils differs with cultivar and with the ripeness of the fruit: green is unripe, yellow is partially ripe and "red" is fully ripe.

Origin and Production

The wild mandarin is one of the pure ancestral citrus taxa and evolved in a restricted region of South China and Vietnam. Annual production of mandarin oil in Italy is about 100 t. Additional quantities are produced in Spain, Brazil, China, Argentina, South Africa and other regions.

The sensory properties of the oils from these regions may differ from those of the Italian type, because other varieties of mandarins such as clementines and satsumas are also processed there. Such oils are also labeled as tangerine oils. The Italian mandarin oil is the preferred quality.

The tangerine is considered either a variety of the mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) or a closely related species. It is also seen as a hybrid of mandarin orange varieties with some pomelo contribution. The ancestral mandarin was bitter, and most commercial mandarin strains derive from hybridization with the pomelo, which gives them sweet fruit. For mandarin oil in general, cold expression of the rind of almost-ripe fruits yields an average of 0.5% oil.

Chemistry

The main components of mandarin oils are limonene (65-75%) and γ-terpinene (16-22%). Characteristic of mandarin oil is its content of α-sinensal (0.1-0.5%) and long-chained unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes.

Properties and Handling

The oil is soluble in fixed (carrier) oils and in 190 proof alcohol, but not in water. It may be prone to turbidity (cloudiness) due to naturally occurring waxes.

Flavour Uses

The Italian mandarin oil enriches the bouquet of flavor compositions in which sweet orange oils are the main component.