Citrus bergamia (synonym: C. aurantium bergamia) is a small tree in the citrus family, native to the Italian region of Calabria. The tree bears small, round to pear-shaped fruits known as bergamot oranges. Bergamot is a highly regional crop: The Calabrian coast produces 90% of the world supply of bergamot.[1] Bergamot should not be confused with “wild bergamot” (Monarda fistulosa), a totally unrelated herb in the mint family.
Bergamot essential oil (BEO) is the peel oil of the bergamot fruit. The oil has a distinctive and pleasant aroma, recognizable as the characteristic scent of Earl Grey tea. This oil has a long history of use in medicine, perfumery, and food and is now widely used in aromatherapy.[2][3] Historically, bergamot oil was used as a treatment for conditions as varied as wounds, burns, toothaches, scabies, and insomnia and as an anti-inflammatory, a sedative, and an antimalarial.[4]
Bergamot oil can be extracted by pressing and/or by distillation, and its composition depends on the extraction method and on whether any further processing was done to remove or isolate various constituents. Therefore, several preparations of bergamot oil exist, including:[2][5]
Note: BEO-MHF may also be referred to as “terpeneless BEO,” “deterpened BEO” or “folded BEO”. Terpenes like limonene and β-pinene are major components of BEO but contribute relatively little to its fragrance; removing them concentrates the more aromatic components.[5]
The rest of the bergamot fruit has historically found few uses, but over the last decade, bergamot juice, peel and/or pith extracts have attracted increasing research attention.[1]