Allured Books

Essential Oils, Volume 7: 2001–2004 contains a cumulative record of information and data on the composition and origin of commercially important essential oils. Original review columns written by Brian M. Lawrence, PhD, for Perfumer & Flavorist magazine have been compiled into one necessary reference book, complete with monographs on 114 essential oils.

As with previous volumes, Volume 7 was compiled as a reference source of component information on oils that are used to compound flavors and fragrances for use in the wide range of consumer products and oils used in aromatherapy. It should also act as a reference source for scientists within industry, academia and government agencies on the composition of essential oils and extracts.

For the more commonly encountered and studied oils such as thyme, coriander seed and leaf, cinnamon, palmarosa, laurel leaf, clary sage, Spanish marjoram, patchouli, lemongrass, fennel, juniper berry and so on, data published before 1995 has been previously published. For the less commonly encountered oils such as manuka, caboré, parsnip, tejpat, curry leaf, cangerana, Port Orford cedarwood, myrrh, kanuka and so on, the data contained in this volume is a summary of most of the published literature on these oils. Also contained in the volume is the compositional data on oils and/or extracts of unique flavor and fragrance raw materials such as roasted chicory, guarana, tolu balsam, benzoin, opoponax and so on.

Brian M. Lawrence, PhD, was born in London in 1939. He began his academic career in 1960 after winning a Fulbright Scholarship to study chemistry in the United States. Following this, he relocated to Toronto to do basic research on spices and herbs at Stange Canada Ltd. In 1978 he earned a doctorate in pharmacognosy at the State University in Groningen, Netherlands.

After completion of his academia, he returned to the United States to work for various divisions of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. In 1979, he assumed the position of Director of Research and Development for the Avoca Division. In 1984, he became Manager of the Flavor Division for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and held the position for six years. The culmination of his career came in 2000 when he was promoted to Senior Principal Scientist/Manager for the Flavor Division within the same company. Following his retirement in 2003, he established a consultancy business that is still in operation today.

Lawrence has published more than 80 original articles and reports. Since 1976, he has held the position of scientific editor of Perfumer & Flavorist magazine, for which he has written more than 200 reviews for the "Progress in Essential Oils" section. Additionally, he has published ten books and eighteen book chapters on essential oils. He acted as senior editor for the proceedings of the 10th International Congress of Essential Oils, Flavors and Fragrances. In 1989, Lawrence and Stanley Allured created the Journal of Essential Oil Research, an international peer reviewed journal published by Allured Business Media. He also edited the book Mint: The Genus Mentha, 2007.

In 1984, Lawrence was the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal of IFEAT. He also received the Medal of Honor from the University of Messina for his studies on essential oils in 2004.