Overview - ISO 16928:2014 for essential oil of ginger (Zingiber officinale)
ISO 16928:2014 specifies quality characteristics and test requirements for the essential oil of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) cultivated in China, India and West Africa. The standard is intended to facilitate consistent quality assessment, acceptance testing and specification of ginger essential oil in trade, manufacturing and laboratory settings.
Key topics and technical requirements
The standard defines sensory, physical and chromatographic criteria, and references accepted test methods:
- Appearance: Clear, mobile liquid.
- Colour (by origin): China - pale yellow to amber; India - yellow; West Africa - pale yellow to yellow.
- Odour: Characteristic of ginger rhizome - spicy, peppered, lemony.
- Relative density at 20 °C (d): Origin‑specific minimum and maximum values are given (e.g., China ~0.873–0.885; India and West Africa similar ranges).
- Refractive index at 20 °C: Origin ranges provided (approx. 1.484–1.498 depending on origin).
- Optical rotation at 20 °C: Negative rotation ranges vary by origin (e.g., China −47° to −26°).
- Chromatographic profile (gas chromatography): Normative component ranges for characteristic constituents (example: α‑zingiberene is the major constituent - China 29–40%, India 35–40%, West Africa 23–45%). Other specified components include ar‑curcumene, β‑sesquiphellandrene, β‑bisabolene, camphene, α‑pinene, geraniol, geranial and others.
- Flashpoint: Informative guidance provided in Annex B for safety and transport considerations.
- Sampling and test methods: Sampling per ISO 212 (minimum test sample 30 ml). Test methods reference ISO 279 (density), ISO 280 (refractive index), ISO 592 (optical rotation) and ISO 11024 (chromatographic profiles).
- Packaging, labelling and storage: Referenced to ISO/TR 210 and ISO/TR 211.
Practical applications and users
ISO 16928:2014 is used by:
- Essential oil producers and distillers to define product specifications and batch release criteria.
- Quality control and analytical laboratories for routine testing, authentication and chromatographic fingerprinting.
- Buyers, traders and specifiers in the flavor & fragrance, cosmetics, aromatherapy and nutraceutical supply chains to verify origin and quality.
- Regulatory and safety officers for handling, labelling and transport decisions (flashpoint guidance).
Practical uses include specification development, adulteration detection, supplier verification, formulation control and safety compliance.
Related standards
Normative references cited in ISO 16928:2014 include:
Keywords: ISO 16928:2014, essential oil of ginger, Zingiber officinale, quality assessment, chromatographic profile, gas chromatography, refractive index, relative density, optical rotation, flashpoint.
