Description
Clove Bud Oil is a food-grade essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the dried unopened flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum. The oil delivers the warm, sweet, spicy clove aroma that defines this spice across confectionery, beverage, and dental product applications, driven by eugenol at very high concentration.
Pale yellow to amber mobile liquid (darkening on storage) with a strong, sweet, warm, spicy clove aroma. Miscible with ethanol and most fixed oils; sparingly soluble in water. Eugenol content typically ranges from 75 to 88 percent in bud oil, distinguishing it from leaf and stem oils with substantially different profiles.
We supply food-grade Clove Bud Oil from manufacturers and traders holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production. Bud oil is the premium grade; leaf and stem oils are supplied separately and used principally for industrial eugenol isolation.
Common market grades include Madagascar Clove Bud Oil (premium), Indonesian Clove Bud Oil, and standardized 80 percent eugenol commercial grade. Eugenol isolated by alkaline extraction is supplied separately.
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering specific gravity, refractive index, optical rotation, eugenol and eugenyl acetate content by GC, heavy metals, and microbiology.
Introduction
Syzygium aromaticum is a tropical evergreen tree native to the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. Commercial production is concentrated in Madagascar, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, with Madagascar dominating the bud oil market for premium food and fragrance use.
Production proceeds by steam distillation of dried buds, yielding approximately 15 to 20 percent essential oil, which is exceptionally high among spice oils. Leaf and stem oils are distilled separately and contain higher eugenol but lower aroma quality, making them principally feedstocks for industrial eugenol isolation rather than direct flavor use.
Regulated as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA (21 CFR 184.1257 for eugenol), assigned FEMA GRAS number 2323 (bud), 2325 (leaf), and 2328 (stem), and approved by JECFA as a flavoring agent.
Principal aroma compounds in bud oil are eugenol (75 to 88 percent), eugenyl acetate (4 to 15 percent), and beta-caryophyllene (5 to 12 percent). The eugenyl acetate fraction softens the eugenol-driven sharpness and is the marker for premium bud-oil grade versus leaf-oil grade.
Strategic positioning sits at the high-value end of spice essential oils, serving both the culinary flavor segment and the dental-pharmaceutical category where eugenol analgesic activity is the primary value driver.
Where it is used
- Confectionery: clove-flavored hard candies, chewing gum, and chocolate spice blends
- Chai and spiced beverage blends; ready-to-drink and powdered formats
- Bakery: spice cookies, gingerbread, and seasonal baked goods
- Meat curing and processed meat seasoning systems, particularly ham and bologna
- Pickles, chutneys, and Indian and Southeast Asian sauce systems
- Mulled wine, holiday beverage mixes, and craft bitters
- Dental products: temporary fillings, eugenol-zinc oxide cements, and analgesic gels
- Cosmetics and aromatherapy: warming massage blends and natural-positioned toiletries
- Source of natural eugenol for downstream synthesis of vanillin and isoeugenol
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale yellow to amber mobile liquid |
| Specific gravity (20 °C) | 1.038 to 1.060 |
| Refractive index (20 °C) | 1.528 to 1.537 |
| Optical rotation (20 °C) | −2° to 0° |
| Eugenol content (GC) | 75.0% to 88.0% |
| Eugenyl acetate content (GC) | 4.0% to 15.0% |
| Solubility in 70% ethanol | 1 vol in 2 vol clear solution |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 3 mg/kg |
| Source | Steam distillation of Syzygium aromaticum dried flower buds |
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