Composition of the essential oils from caraway herb and root

By means of GC and GC‐MS the herb oil of caraway (Carum carvi L.) was found to consist of germacrene D (75%) with β‐caryophyllene, β‐elemene, humulene, germacrene A and B, and two cadinenes. Two chemotypes, a germacrene A containing type and a type without germacrene A were found. Aliphatic aldehydes (68%), namely n‐octanal, n‐nonanal, trans‐2‐decenal, and a so‐far‐unknown aldehyde represent the main part of the root oil obtained from adult plants. The seedlings root oil consists mainly of germacrene B (51%), which decreases during development.