Overview
ISO 3064:2015 specifies quality characteristics and testing requirements for the essential oil of petitgrain, Paraguayan type (Citrus aurantium L. var. Paraguay, syn. C. aurantium var. bigaradia). The standard is intended to facilitate consistent assessment of petitgrain (Paraguay) oil quality across production, testing and commercial supply chains.
Key topics and technical requirements
Important, testable specifications in ISO 3064:2015 include:
- Appearance: clear liquid.
- Colour: colourless to pale yellow.
- Odour: fresh, green, flowery.
- Relative density (20 °C): 0.884 – 0.892.
- Refractive index (20 °C): 1.454 – 1.463.
- Optical rotation (20 °C): –5° to –1°.
- Miscibility in ethanol 70% (v/v at 20 °C): not more than 3.5 volumes of ethanol to solubilize 1 volume of oil.
- Acid value: maximum 1.
- Chromatographic profile (GC): normative component percentage ranges for key constituents such as:
- Linalyl acetate: 40.0 – 60.0%
- Linalool: 15.0 – 30.0%
- Geraniol, geranyl acetate, neryl acetate, α-terpineol, limonene, myrcene, β-pinene, etc., with specified min–max ranges.
- (The chromatographic profile is normative; typical chromatograms are given informatively in Annex A.)
- Flashpoint (informative): mean value +75 °C (measured with specified equipment in Annex B).
- Sampling: follow ISO 212; minimum test sample 25 ml.
- Test methods: references to established ISO methods for density, refractive index, optical rotation, miscibility, acid value and chromatographic profiling.
Applications and users
ISO 3064:2015 is used by:
- Essential oil producers and packers to define product specifications for petitgrain (Paraguay) oil.
- Analytical and quality control laboratories to verify conformity using GC and standard physical tests.
- Perfume, flavor and aromatherapy manufacturers to ensure raw material consistency and formulation performance.
- Buyers, traders and contract specifiers who need objective quality criteria in procurement and supply agreements.
- Regulatory, transport and safety officers referencing flashpoint and labelling/packaging requirements.
Practical uses include product release testing, supplier qualification, dispute resolution on oil identity/purity, and ensuring batch-to-batch consistency for fragrance and flavor applications.
Related standards
ISO 3064:2015 references and works with other ISO documents for sampling, testing and handling: