ABSTRACT

Many of the applications of citrus oils involve incorporation into water based food and beverage consumer products.

The natural high total terpene (consisting of both mono and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons) contents of citrus oils as they are produced by cold expression and or distillation, detract from the oils solubility in the water based product and limit the amount of flavour that can be incorporated into consumer beverages. Terpene reduction and or removal is therefore a key process and the commercial methods, each having their own advantages and disadvantages, are reviewed.