Re: EO shelf life, storage

[Guest guest]

Hi Rose,

I am amazed that tea tree oil ate through the cap. I have never bought any

though I recently ordered two varieties of melaleuca. That is strong stuff. I

have relied on oregano, thyme, and lemon to kill my germs along with Thieves, a

proprietary blend of cinnamon, cloves, etc. Thanks for the heads up on tea

tree.

Ann

>In my experience the answer is, it depends.

>

>I once purchased a raft load of EOs. All have been stored cool, dark

>and all are fine. I am not, however, going to have them tested to

>determine if there have been any changes from the analysis sheet that

>came with them when I purchased them. As Ann said, tests run on

>distilled spirits that have found in archeological sites show changes,

>but not enough for us to worry with.

>

>You will see changes if you store your EOs in sunlight and you're using

>clear glass bottles. Whether you consider them " degraded " or not

>depends on the properties for which you purchased them.

>

>What I can tell is that the Tea Tree fumes ate thru the nonreative cap

>making the exterior of the cap gooey, even tho' the teflon interior

>remained stable and in place. That was one of those lock caps for newly

>purchased bottles of stuff.

>

>I decant oregano oil (origanum vulgare) into a dropper bottle when I

>dilute it. I find that those droppers disintegrate over time. You can

>tell when it's happening and change the rubber part. It gets squishy

>and swells. (Iodine makes 'em hard and crackly).

>

>None of the other EO blends that I've ever kept in dropper bottles did

>anything remotely close to what the oregano does (mostly rosa damascena

>and the mints). I suspect Clove EO, Thymbra Spicata, possibly Rosemary

>cineole might. I never store them out of their drop bottles with the

>teflon lined lids.

>

>Saralou

>

>

>>

>> I don t know. I guess it would depend on whether the cap let air

>> through it. If air gets into the oils, then the most volatile

>> components get out and though it might smell the same, you would just

>> have a perfume. No therapy

>> . E.os eat plastic but I guess the biggest leak MIGHT be where the

>> rubber meets the bottle. I am sorry I don t know the answer but that

>> is probably. not a good way to keep them.

>> Ann

>>

>>

>>

>> >Ann- what would be the shelf life of essential oils kept in small

>> bottles

>> >having a rubber eyedropper cap? bob

>>

>

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