bitter almond oil

Thân thiện

Bitter almond oil is used to flavor marzipan in a bakery.

Definition

Noun: - A pale yellow, volatile essential oil obtained by distilling bitter almonds or the cake/meal left after pressing them. It contains benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, giving it a characteristic bitter almond aroma and making it toxic unless processed to remove the cyanide.

Usage

• Noun: Used to refer to the specific essential oil, primarily in industrial, flavoring (after purification), or historical medicinal contexts.
  • The recipe calls for a drop of bitter almond oil for its distinct marzipan-like flavor.
  • Historically, bitter almond oil was used in minute doses in some medicines.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Industrial Context: Often specified in chemistry, perfumery, and food science for its benzaldehyde content. The term distinguishes it from "sweet almond oil," which is a fixed, non-volatile, and edible oil.
  • The synthetic production of benzaldehyde has largely replaced the use of natural bitter almond oil in food flavorings.

Variants and Related Words

• Essential oil of bitter almond: A more descriptive synonym.
• Benzaldehyde oil: A term highlighting its primary chemical constituent.
• Almond oil (sweet): A related but distinct substance; a fixed, edible oil pressed from sweet almonds, used in cosmetics and cooking. CRITICAL NOTE: "Bitter almond oil" and "almond oil" (typically meaning sweet almond oil) are different products.

Synonyms

• Oil of bitter almond
• Essential oil from Prunus dulcis var. amara (scientific botanical source)

Related Phrases/Compounds

• Volatile almond oil: A phrase emphasizing its evaporative nature, often synonymous with bitter almond oil.
• Bitter almond extract: Often a purified, safer form of the flavoring, where the toxic components have been removed.

Học thuật

Noun

1. pale yellow essential oil obtained from bitter almonds by distillation from almond cake or meal