Cassia Oil: Description, Chemical Profile, and Material Properties

What is Cassia Oil?

Cassia Oil, sometimes recognized under its scientific label “Cinnamomum cassia oil,” takes root in the aromatic bark of the Cinnamomum cassia tree, a species native to China’s warm southern regions. This essential oil shows a deep, rich yellow-brown color, often leaning toward reddish hues. Its instantly recognizable cinnamon-like scent makes it a mainstay in the fragrance, flavor, and pharmaceutical industries. Extraction depends on steam distillation, which pulls volatile oils out from both the bark and sometimes the leaves, keeping the signature aroma and active chemicals intact.

Chemical Properties, Structure, and Formula

The standout in Cassia Oil’s chemical profile is cinnamaldehyde, which stacks up to nearly 80% of total content. Alongside it, experienced chemists will spot coumarin, benzaldehyde, eugenol, and other phenolic compounds. In chemical terms, the oil’s molecular formula is typically expressed as C9H8O (for trans-cinnamaldehyde). Anyone who works day-to-day with essential oils will recognize that molecular structure—a benzene ring connected to an unsaturated aldehyde—drives the distinctive warm, spicy smell and key properties. Out in the field, quantifying this content helps determine authenticity, and ensures manufacturers are providing what they claim.

Physical Specifications and Material Form

Viscous and oily in feel, pure Cassia Oil keeps a density of around 1.04 g/cm³ at 25°C, holding steady through basic storage and shipping conditions. Its refractive index usually lands between 1.602 to 1.622. Unlike many chemical intermediates, you won’t find Cassia Oil in solid, powder, flake, or pearl forms, as heat or cooling compromise its unique aroma and chemical make-up. Liquid suits it best, and the material pours easily from glass or lined steel containers. Most manufacturers supply this material in bulk quantities by liter, though retail settings scale down to smaller bottles for use in consumer-facing products.

HS Code, Storage, and Stability

Cassia Oil trades across borders under HS Code 3301.29.41 (essential oils of cinnamon or cassia, excluding pure cinnamon oil). Accurate coding keeps international records honest and ensures tariffs fall where intended. Every warehouse storing Cassia Oil runs temperature controls and restricts exposure to light, as oxygen and sunlight eat away at the volatile compounds. That’s not just best practice—decomposition opens the door to off odors, flavor loss, and, for food and fragrance end-users, quality claims and recalls.

Safety, Hazards, and Safe Handling

Contact without gloves or dilution causes strong irritation to skin and eyes. Cinnamaldehyde reacts in sensitive people, sparking allergic responses or dermatitis. Inhalation of fumes in unventilated rooms stirs up headaches, sneezing, or worse in workers. Anyone storing or using Cassia Oil keeps Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) at arm’s reach. Fire risk stays moderate; like many essential oils, Cassia Oil flashes at temperatures around 80°C, so storage near ignition sources isn’t wise. In lab and plant settings, personal protective equipment means goggles, gloves, and aprons—common for handling any high-strength, aromatic compound.

Usage in Raw Material Supply Chains

Cassia Oil ranks high as a raw input in flavors, fragrances, cosmetic blends, and even as an anti-microbial agent in some food science labs. Food applications must account for coumarin content, as regulatory bodies like the European Food Safety Authority maintain strict maximum levels due to coumarin’s potential liver toxicity. Natural product companies tout its origin and purity, but without third-party GC-MS analysis, it’s impossible to confirm the source or absence of synthetic adulterants.

Market Value and Supply Considerations

Live experience shows that price surges follow poor harvests or supply chain disruptions in China or Vietnam, where the bulk of trees grow. Essential oil buyers play close attention to the look and chemical content—cloudy, diluted, or adulterated oil loses value quickly and can bring legal consequences if sold under the wrong banner. At every link in the supply chain, authenticated material, certified origins, and batch-specific COAs (Certificates of Analysis) fend off fraud and keep longstanding client relationships intact.

Environmental and Social Impact

Field observations confirm that responsible Cassia Oil production avoids the heavy chemical inputs or clear-cutting that trouble other natural products. Harvesters trained in selective bark removal preserve the tree’s long-term vitality, which means more jobs down the road—and less environmental impact. Gear like sharp knives enable quick, efficient harvest without tearing up the root or young branches, which helps the local ecosystem hold together. Many small farmers now feed into traceable processing clusters for big international buyers, which lifts village incomes compared to unregulated wild harvesting that strips trees bare.

Potential Solutions for Sustainable and Safe Use

One way to reduce health risks is by favoring dilution. Using lower concentrations in finished products, combined with transparent labeling and regular supplier audits, sidesteps many customer and worker safety complaints. Brands relying on Cassia Oil for flavor or fragrance should demand regular lab reports clarifying both allergen and contaminant levels. Governments and industry collectives can help by offering on-the-ground training in sustainable harvesting and safe chemical storage, so supply chain partners gain the technical input needed for compliance. Robust third-party monitoring for adulteration—a common issue with cheaper essential oils—preserves trust.

Summary Table: Key Properties of Cassia Oil