Neroli facts for kids
Neroli oil is a special kind of essential oil. It comes from the beautiful flowers of the bitter orange tree. This tree is also known as Citrus aurantium subsp. amara. Neroli oil has a sweet, honey-like smell. It also has a fresh, slightly spicy, and green scent.
Another oil, called Orange blossom absolute, also comes from the same flowers. Both Neroli and orange blossom are very popular in perfumes. Orange blossom usually smells sweeter and more floral than Neroli.
The main difference between them is how they are made. Neroli oil is made using a process called steam distillation. Orange blossom absolute is made using a different method, like solvent extraction.
How Neroli Oil is Made
The flowers used for Neroli oil are picked by hand. This usually happens in late April or early May. After picking, the oil is taken out using a method called steam distillation. This means steam is passed through the flowers to collect the oil.
The main countries that produce Neroli oil are Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt.
The History of Neroli
In the late 1600s, a princess named Anne Marie Orsini lived in Italy. She was the duchess of Bracciano and princess of Nerola. She loved to use the scent from the bitter orange tree flowers. She would perfume her gloves and her bath with it. Because of her, this lovely scent became very popular. Since then, it has been called "neroli" after her town, Nerola. Neroli has a fresh, spicy, and sweet smell with flowery notes.
How Neroli Oil is Used
Neroli is one of the most popular flower oils used in making perfumes. It mixes well with many other scents. This includes citrus oils, other flower extracts, and many man-made perfume ingredients.
Neroli oil is also used a little bit in flavorings. Some people say it is one of the secret ingredients in the famous Coca-Cola soft drink. It is also used in some open source cola recipes. However, because it can be expensive, some recipes make it an optional ingredient.
See also
In Spanish: Aceite de flores de naranjo para niños
