Horseradish Oil

#### Horseradish Oil. Of interest to the flavorist only is the essential oil and the various extraction products from the root of **Armoracia**** ****Lapathifolia**, a common plant in Europe, known as **Horseradish**** **("raifort" in French). The root which is commonly sold on vegetable markets, can be classified as a pungent condiment, similar to mustard seed (see monograph on **Mustard Oil); **mustard seed is classified as a pungent aromatic seed. The most important of the constituents responsible for the pungency of horseradish, is identical to the main constituent of mustard seed oil from black mustard seed. A very small yield of essential oil is obtained by water-and-steam distillation of the comminuted horseradish root, soaked in water. The essential oil is pale yellow or almost colorless, mobile, and of intensely sharp odor and lachrymatory effect, reminiscent of the virtues of mustard oil, but even more pungent or irritating than this oil. For flavor experiments, it is advisable to start with extremely high dilutions, e.g. p.1 mg% or even less in order to avoid irritation of the mucous membranes on tongue and palate. The oil finds some use in the canning- and ready-made salad industry, replacing the fresh horseradish which may be inavailable for parts of the year. **Horseradish**** ****Oil**** **is occasionally adulterated with black mustard oil, and it is a rough job to determine through organoleptic examination, whether or not you have a true oil. A "concrète" or **Resinoid**** ****of**** ****Horseradish**** **(so- called) is produced by benzene extraction of the root. It is necessary to dry the root prior to this extraction. Fresh or semi-dried roots can be extracted with acetone or ethyl alcohol. The various extracts present a more true-to-nature aroma than does the oil. The "resinoid" is usually a dark amber colored, very viscous mass. It has a rich, but pungent and somewhat sharp odor with a peculiar warm and quite pleasant undertone. This product is very suitable for use in seasonings, etc. as a replacement for the root itself. However, the dried root is now available flaked or "grated" in airtight sealed packages for household or industrial use. **Horseradish Oil **and **Horseradish "Resinoid" **are very rarely offered commercially. They may be produced upon demand, or they are produced by the individual consumers for their specific needs.