Anona Squamosa Oil

#### Anona Squamosa. The essential oil of **Anona Squamosa **is steam distilled from the leaves of a small tree belonging to the N.O. Anonaceae. The tree is extensively cultivated in India where it is known as "sitaphal". **Anona Squamosa **oil is yellow, olive-green or greenish. It has a pleasant, somewhat spicy-woody odor reminiscent of cedar, cubeb, cardamom, etc. The taste is distinctly bitter, and it is not conceivable that this oil could find use in flavors. The oil is occasionally used in local perfumery when woody-spicy, fresh and somewhat dry-tenacious notes are wanted. **Anona**** ****Squamosa**** **oil is fairly inexpensive, but it is not available in sizeable quantities outside of its country of origin. The oil consists mainly of terpenes and sesquiterpenes of which *beta-caryophyllene** *forms the major part. The tree **Anona Squamosa **is widely cultivated in tropical zones for its highly aromatic fruits, known as **Sugar Apples, Custard Apples, Pommes-Cannelle, Sweet Sop, **etc. Thus, there is ample supply of leaf material for distillation in the event that the essential oil should prove of greater interest in the future. These fruits are of the size of a small orange and resemble giant raspberries or pine cones in appearance (compare "pine"- apple). When fully ripe, the fruits are so tender— almost creamy—that they cannot be shipped over long distances. Their aroma is so rich, strong and peculiar that many people have never become accustomed to enjoying this tropical delicacy fully.