Glossary
The terms buyers, QA teams and flavourists meet when sourcing natural mint.
- ATR
- The trade name under which N S Mint group menthol crystals have been known in the Indian market since 1996, from the founder's initials.
- Bold crystals
- Large, needle-shaped menthol crystals, the classic form of natural L-menthol.
- CAS number
- A unique identifier assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service. L-menthol is CAS 2216-51-5.
- Certificate of Analysis (COA)
- The batch document listing test results against the agreed specification.
- Chiral gas chromatography
- Gas chromatography on a chiral column that separates mirror-image molecules, used to confirm natural L-menthol and detect synthetic or racemic material.
- Cornmint
- Mentha arvensis, the menthol-rich mint species grown mainly in India and the source of natural menthol.
- DMO
- Dementholised oil: Mentha arvensis oil after part of the menthol has been frozen out.
- EC / EINECS number
- The European Community number identifying a substance in EU chemical inventories. L-menthol is 218-690-9.
- FEMA GRAS
- Flavour ingredients evaluated by the US Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association expert panel as generally recognised as safe. Menthol is FEMA 2665.
- Fractional distillation
- Distillation that separates a mixture into fractions by boiling point, used to isolate menthone, terpenes and other mint fractions.
- FSSC 22000
- A GFSI-recognised food safety certification scheme built on ISO 22000.
- HS code
- The Harmonized System customs code. Menthol is 2906 11; peppermint oil 3301 24; other mint oils 3301 25.
- Levomenthol
- The pharmacopoeia name for (−)-menthol, the natural L-isomer.
- Mentha piperita
- Peppermint, a hybrid mint with a sweeter, rounder oil than cornmint.
- Mentha spicata
- Spearmint, whose oil is rich in L-carvone.
- Menthone
- A ketone found in mint oil with a minty, slightly woody odour; isolated as a natural aroma chemical.
- Mint terpenes
- The light monoterpene fraction (limonene, pinenes) removed from mint oil.
- Optical rotation
- The angle by which a substance rotates polarised light; L-menthol is levorotatory (about −45° to −51°).
- Racemic menthol
- A 50:50 mixture of (−) and (+) menthol made synthetically, also called DL-menthol.
- REACH
- The EU regulation on registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals.
- Rectified oil
- An essential oil redistilled to remove impurities or adjust composition.
- Rice crystals
- Small, uniform menthol crystals that flow and dose more evenly than bold crystals.
- SMETA
- Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit, covering labour, health and safety, environment and business ethics.
- Terpeneless
- An oil from which the terpene fraction has been removed for better solubility and stability.