Mint products,menthol crystal,peppermint,eucalyptus oil manufacturer and exporter

Mint products of MentholThai Co.,Ltd.

The full botanical name of Japanese mint is Mentha arvensis L.,subsp.Hapolocalyx Briquet, var. piperascens Holmes, or forma piperascens Malinvaud. This name should always he use when referring to the plant as growing or being cultivated in Japan, because menthaarvensis L., "Cornmint," is grown in the Northerm Hemisphere. The oil of other species and varieties occurring in Japan do not contain sufficient menthol to warrant commercial interest.. The Japanese Department of Agriculture warns the growers against cross-hybridization with local wild varieties and advises them to improve their mint growing by a number of measures. There exist several forms of "Aka Maru" is distinguished by a reddish violet stem. The other type called "Ryokubi" which has green stem and gives the best yield of oil with the highest menthol content.

Planting and harvesting

Mint growing in Thailand is quite new development. TISTR, which has been active in doing research in essential oil, medicinal plants and spices, introduced the varieties from Japan, India, People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Brazil in 1971-73. After extensive agronomic investigations. It was found that a variety from Japan, called "Ryokubi" produces the highest yield and quality of oil. Supported by technological and economic assistance from TISTR, several factories have been established in many parts of the country, particularly at Changwat Nan in the Northern part where it is now a major economic crop of most farmers.

Mint is easily propagated from its various vegetative parts which include the upright stems, twigs, and the horizontal stems called "stolon" which may be above ground or subterranean. The best menthol of propagation is to lay down sections of the stems horizontally on raised bed of rich, organic soil in moist, shady places. The shoots will sprout from the buds along the stem within am week and will be ready for transplanting in the field in a month time.

In Thailand planting is done in May-June. Nursery beds are needed for 45 days. For transplanting, the young plant are carefully dug out when they have grown to a height of 10 to 15 cm. The transplanting should be performed on cloudy or rainy days, when the soil is very damp. The rows are of 30 x30 cm spacing.

Mint requires considerable amount of water during the entire period of growth, except at harvest time. It cannot withstand a long period of drought. It is, therefore, recommended that mint be grown in the rainy season unless supplemented water can be provided. Rainy season has certain effects on the growth of the mint plants and the yield of oil. Luxuriant growth is expected but the oil percentage of the fresh material is relatively low. On the contrary, mint grown in the dry season through irrigation yields low fresh material but high percentage of oil. Other than rain water, several systems of irrigation are practised in mint cultivation in Thailand, viz. Furrowing, flooding, watering through the use of special equipment, pump, or sprinkler.

Although mint requires a considerable amount of nutrient, chemical fertilizers are not commonly applied by the mint growers since they are costly and the response is comparatively low. Moreover, mint plants are normally grown in the relatively rich soil, or after tobacco planting where the soil was earlier applied with heavy dose of fertilizers.

Organic fertilizers are, however, mostly needed by the mint plants since not only do they provide the plants with the nutrients but also other essential features which are beneficial to the mint plants, namely, improving water holding underground stolons and root systems of the plants. Thus, only the area where organic matters are abundant should be selected for mint cultivation. Several sources of organic fertilizers are available, namely compost, green manure, and farm manure. Among these, farm manure is most popular among mint growers in Thailand.

Since mint requires considerable amount of moisture in the soil, mulching is strongly recommended for its cultivation, especially during the dry season. Several kinds of mulching materials used by the mint growers in Thailand, namely, peanut shell, rice husk, rice straw,and mint spent hay. Mulching not only conserves moisture for the mint plants but also reduces the amount of weeds and provides nutrients after being decomposed.

Although mint has much less enemies then do any other economic crops, yet in some areas and conditions, some pests are observed. Among these the most important are wilt disease which occurs only in water-logging acid soil; aphid, looper, termite and mite. None of these however cause serious problems. The most serious enemy is probably the weed which should not creat difficulty at all if care is taken during the first month of its growth. Several herbicides have been tried in several areas. Terbacil was found to be the most effective both as pre-and post emergent herbicide although its cost is rather high and the method of application is too complicates for most farmers.

Although the highest percentage of oil is obtained when the plant is in the blooming stage which takes place at three months after planting the seedling into the field, the maximum yield of fresh material and of oil is obtained when the plant is at its maximum yield of fresh material and of oil is obtained when the plant is at its maximum growth when all leaves are still attached to the plant. Normally, it would take two months to arrive at this stage. Thus it is recommended that the plant be harvested at the age of two months. The best time to harvest is in the afternoon of a bright sunny day, at least three days after the rain of irrigation. Harvesting is done by the use of sickle or knife, cutting the stem at the lowest possible point so that no stump is left for sprouting. This will encourage sprouting to take place from the underground stolen. The harvested material should be left in the sun to allow evaporation to take place before collecting. This will reduce the damage caused by fermentation and moulding. The material should be dried in the shade for 3-7 days before distillation.

After each harvesting, the field should be covered with a layer, about an inch thick, of compost or manure to improve soil fertility and conserve moisture to induce sprouting of the next crop. Usually three cuttings are suitable.

Distillation

For distillation, the herbs are packed firmly in the tub. When the steam, which may come directly from the unit or from a steam generator, passes through the herbs, the oil will evaporate and pass through the pipe along with the steam to the condenser whereby both oil and water vapours are condensed and come cut of the condenser to the oil separator. Since oil is lighter then water, it will accumulate on the top layer while water, together with a very small amount of oil, passes through the chamber of the oil separator and finally out of the separator. The oil, therefore, remains in the oil separator automatically.

Many types of mint distillation units were invented both for laboratory and field investigation and for commercial production. In principle, they are similar. Modification is observed in the size of the tub and condenser and the source of steam (either direct heat or from a boiler). Two major types are popular, namely, the oval-shaped tub, 500 kg capacity and 200 L oil drum. Both are the direct heat type. Many companies are producing both types for sale to the mint oil factories.

The yield of mint oil varies depending the growth of the plant, age, season and time at harvest, the amount of water within the plant at the time of distillation, and the efficiency of the unit. On a half-dry basis, a value between 0.5-0.8% is normally obtained. The yield of fresh material is averaged at 6,000 kg per hectare per cutting. After being half-dried, the weight is reduced by one third to 4,000 kg. Thus, from 20 to 32 kg of oil are expected.

MentholThai Co.,Ltd.

Import Export co.,Ltd has established since 1973. Menthol Thai Import Export is a name completely committed

to excellence in manufacturing, trading chemical products such as mint products, menthol crystal,peppermint oil,

eucalyptus oil and other essential and aromatic chemicals.