Production d'huiles essentielles (reportage)

PONOUAIPOU. After a lot of delay, for two weeks now, the production of essential oils has really begun in Ponouaipou. After many unsuccessful attempts, the oil finally appears in tiny quantities, but it is a concentrate of properties. Relief for our employee, who was beginning to despair of ever seeing this coveted oil come ... The collection and classification of traditional karen species continues, the variety of pharmacopea karen is impressive: stomach pains to abrasions, there has a plant for all ills! 

Follow the manipulation in pictures, from the forest to the still:

Collection of specimens and go to press

Constitution of the herbarium, classification. We add the names Thai, Karen and Latin

The plant is harvested in the forest and transported to the laboratory

then washed

These are nearly 80 liters that join the still

which is carefully sealed

the heater can start

the heating can last almost an hour. We take the opportunity to list the specimens

oil and distillate separate in the florentine vase. The distillate is not thrown, 

it also contains a lot of active ingredients

On the surface of the distillate floats a very thin layer of oil

After one hour of distillation, we obtain a small bottle of oil, concentrated of 80 liters of plant!