Mint 101: Mint, Menthol, and the History of it all

The Significance of Mint

Mint leaves and their derivatives are well known for their refreshing minty aroma, cooling effect, and the feeling of freshness it can impart.  As a result, these plants, as well as their oils, have been a staple of oral care since its inception. The reason for the cooling effect of mint is due to the high menthol content naturally occurring in the oils of the plant. Menthol represents the most recognizable flavor and is equally well-received all over the planet. 

It continues to be used today for oral care, flavors, personal care and health & wellness products.  Some common applications include products such as; cough medicines, topical analgesics, decongestants and of course oral hygiene products such as toothpaste and mouthwash. The tobacco industry is one of the largest consumers of menthol, where it is used as a flavoring.

History of Oral Care

Earlier civilizations had less instances of tooth decay, compared to their modern counterparts, due mainly to the absence of refined food and sugars in their diets. They developed methods of oral care and tooth decay prevention, as the only treatment at the time was extraction.

The earliest records of toothpaste date back to the 4th century in Egypt, which detailed a mixture of salt, pepper, iris flowers, and mint leaves.  The Greeks and Romans used crushed bone and oyster shells, while the Chinese used salt, ginseng, and mint leaves.

Around the 18th century, the first modern mass market products came in powder form and contained soap, chalk, and/or ground charcoal.  This was followed in the 1850’s by toothpaste in jar, called 'Creme Dentifrice', often prepared by individual dentists.  When the iconic collapsible metal tube came to market in the 1890s, is when toothpaste became the truly mass marketed product we know today.

3 Main Types of Mint Oil

Peppermint Oil

Scent Profile: It has a very minty aroma, more fragrant than other mint varieties such as spearmint

Origin: Northern Africa and Mediterranean

Cultivation: The oil is produced via steam distillation of the leaves, flowers and buds

History: Peppermint can also be broken into sub varieties depending on the growing region, with Peppermint Yakima and Peppermint Willamette being notable cultivars in the North American region. The species is a hybrid of spearmint and water mint.

Peppermint has been cultivated for thousands of years and is repeatedly referenced in numerous ancient medical texts across cultures. When first introduced to Europe, it was taken up by various groups of monks who used it as a tooth polish. Today, the world’s largest producers in order of volume are the USA, India, and China; with 2092 Metric tons produced in the USA last year.

Harvest: USA (July-Sept)

China (July-Sept)

India (May–June & Sept-Dec)

Spearmint Oil

Scent Profile: Spearmint has a sharp minty aroma that is slightly sweeter than that of peppermint.

Origin: Spearmint was native only to Europe and Asia but has since spread to parts of Africa, North America and South America.

Cultivation: The leaves, stems, and buds are steam distilled to produce Spearmint oil

History: In Ancient times, spearmint had many uses.  One of which was to place it in storerooms as a safeguard to deter rodents. Most spearmint today is cultivated on the Pacific Coast of North America, with some production still taking place in China and India.  A total of 1203 Metric tons was produced in the USA last year.

Harvest: USA (July-Sept)

China (July-Aug)

Cornmint Oil

Scent Profile: Cornmint has a fresh and minty profile, slightly milder than peppermint

Origin: India

Cultivation: The oil is produced via steam distillation of the leaves, flowers and buds

History: It is a common ingredient for Traditional Chinese Medicine, where the crushed leaves are applied topically to help alleviate a range of maladies.

Cornmint is often labeled as peppermint and used interchangeably, except in the USA where it is illegal to label cornmint as peppermint.  It is also the least expensive of the mint oils and used as a feedstock to produce menthol crystals

Harvest: India (May-June)

Other Mints

While not as extensively used in commercial products, there are several other varieties of mint that are mostly grown for their culinary uses and by home gardeners.

Apple Mint: Also known as ‘wooly mint,’ this species has a slightly apple profile.

Bergamot Mint: Unique for its citrusy orange flavor, bergamot mint is often dried and used in herbal teas.

Lavender Mint: Mainly known for its use in potpourris, it is also used as an ingredient in  personal care products including lip balms, shampoos and creams.

Water Mint: Thriving in high moisture environments, this species has a similar aroma to peppermint and was very popular during the Ancient Roman times.

Menthol

Natural Menthol

Cultivation Process: Menthol can be isolated naturally via a process of freezing and crystallization to extract and isolate the active component, menthol, primarily from crude Cornmint oil (Mentha Arvensis).

Physical Data: The isolated menthol is a waxy, crystal substance which can vary in color from clear to white. While solid at room temperature, it has a very low melting temperature.  It also allows formulators a greater degree of control over the application of their product, as well as allowing them to incorporate the menthol freshness in various applications not ideally suited to using an oil.

Uses: Menthol acts as a local anesthetic, counter irritant, and topical antibacterial agent in dental care products.  The cooling sensation is caused by the Menthol molecules activating TRPM8 receptors in the body when inhaled, ingested, or applied to the skin

In certain applications, Menthol Crystals can offer a unique cost advantage when compared with natural mint oils. Menthol is also produced synthetically resulting in a greater degree of purity, leading some to feel that the natural variant has a more “rounded” flavor. The worldwide demand of 25,000 to 30,000 metric tons per year already exceeds the available supply, and this demand is constantly growing as more and more new products contain menthol.

Synthetic Menthol

Available Synthetics:

  L-Menthol FCC  

  DL-Menthol FG  

  L-Menthyl Acetate FCC

  L-Menthone 70 FG  

  L-Isopulegol FG

Advantages of Synthetic Menthol:

No dependency on crop yield and weather

Consistently high quality

Stable pricing