Sri Lankan cinnamon essential oil (Cinnamon Essential Oil) can be produced in several forms depending on the part of the Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) plant used. As Sri Lanka enjoys strong international recognition for its high-quality cinnamon products, there is significant potential to generate higher export revenue through value-added cinnamon essential oils.
From the cinnamon plant, several types of oils can be extracted, including cinnamon leaf oil, cinnamon bark oil, cinnamon root oil, and cinnamon branch (cinnamon “head”) oil. Although oil extraction from the roots and branches is technically possible, it is not commercially practiced at present. Among these, cinnamon leaf oil (Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil) remains the most widely produced and commercially viable product.
The extraction of cinnamon leaf oil typically yields up to 4% essential oil from properly processed leaves. The primary raw material for this process consists of leaves and small twigs removed during routine cinnamon harvesting and pruning operations. Mature, fully developed leaves—whether freshly harvested or slightly wilted—are considered the most suitable for obtaining high-quality cinnamon leaf oil.
Cinnamon Leaf Yield and Essential Oil Production
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Cinnamon leaf harvest |
10,000 kg per hectare per year |
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Average cinnamon leaf oil yield |
1–2% (based on fresh leaf weight) |
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Annual cinnamon leaf oil production |
100 kg per hectare approximately |
Methods of Extracting Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil
Cinnamon leaf oil extraction can be carried out using the following traditional distillation techniques:
- Water Distillation
- Steam-Water Distillation
- Steam Distillation
In addition to these conventional methods, several advanced technologies—such as supercritical CO₂ extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction—have been introduced. However, these modern techniques are not yet adopted at an industrial scale for cinnamon leaf oil production in Sri Lanka.
Therefore, steam distillation remains the primary industrial method used for producing Ceylon cinnamon leaf oil.
The steam distillation process consists of the following steps:
- Loading a predetermined weight of properly dried cinnamon leaves into the leaf chamber of the distillation unit.
- Operating the boiler to generate a continuous flow of steam that passes through the cinnamon leaves.
- Maintaining boiler operation for 5–6 hours to complete the cinnamon leaf oil extraction cycle.
- Directing the steam–oil vapor mixture through a cooling/condensing system to convert the vapor into liquid form.
- Separating the cinnamon leaf oil from the hydrosol using traditional separation vessels (locally known as karadi).
Quality Standards for Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil
Two major standards specify the required physical and chemical parameters for high-quality cinnamon leaf oil:
- Sri Lankan National Standard: SLS 184:2012
- International Standard: ISO 3524:2003
These standards define the acceptable ranges for key attributes such as density, refractive index, solubility, chemical composition (including eugenol percentage), and overall purity of Ceylon cinnamon leaf oil. Complying with these specifications ensures product consistency and international market acceptance.
