The process for the manufacture of pure, water-soluble and 100 % natural fragrances (flavours), from essential oils, especially of the hesperidia, comprises the following stages: A. The fresh essential oil is distilled under reduced pressure in order to separate most of the terpenes; B. The residues of distillation A are distilled in their turn, and the remaining terpenes are separated under a lower pressure, and then the aromatic substances under final vacuum; C. The terpenes which come from distillations A and B are extracted with aqueous ethanol in order to separate the volatile fragrances (flavours) into alcoholic solution; D. The alcoholic extracts obtained during Stage C are subjected to an extractive azeotropic distillation to remove the terpenes with the minimum of alcohol; E. According to a preferred process, the terpene-free alcoholic solution obtained during Stage D is diluted with water and the fragrances (flavours) present are extracted with a volatile solvent; the solvent phase is concentrated, after which the final traces of solvent are removed; F. The soluble, pure fragrance (flavour) is obtained by combining the aromatic fraction obtained according to Stage E and the fraction distilled under final vacuum, obtained according to Stage B. Use in the food trade and in perfumery. <IMAGE>
