May Chang
May Chang
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey distillation plants for May Chang, listed under the Leaves Oils Distillation Plants range. Although the range name refers to leaves, the product tree, Mechotech’s legacy page text and the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue all list May Chang as fruit: the legacy text describes the small, pepper-like fruits of the Litsea cubeba tree distilled by steam. The plant recovers essential oil by distillation for the catalogue’s fragrance, aromatherapy, cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical industries. The Sureka Life Sciences (SLS) catalogue lists May Chang Fruits Distillation with Litsea cubeba as the botanical source and citral as the marker compound. The exact feed form is confirmed with the client before the plant is configured.
Mechotech’s May Chang plant is configured around the fruit feedstock and the target oil. It is built in SS 316L with integrated condensers and oil–water separation, PLC-based automation and full documentation, and is delivered as a commissioned turnkey system. The distillation mode and operating parameters are established during process development and pilot validation.
Technical Specifications
| Product | May Chang (Litsea cubeba) Fruit Oil Distillation Plant |
|---|---|
| Raw Material | May Chang (Litsea cubeba) fruit |
| Botanical Name | Litsea cubeba (per the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry for May Chang Fruits Distillation and Mechotech’s legacy page text) |
| Plant Part / Feed Form | Fruit (small, pepper-like fruits of the tree), per the product tree entry “May Chang (Fruit)”, the legacy page text and the Sureka Life Sciences entry — not leaves, although the page sits in the Leaves Oils Distillation Plants range. Exact feed form (fresh or dried fruit) confirmed with the client |
| Marker Compound | Citral (per the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry) |
| Product Category | Leaves Oils Distillation Plants |
| Extraction Method | Steam, hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation — selected for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the target oil |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L |
| Condensation | Multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation |
| Oil–Water Separation | Stainless-steel Florentine flask |
| Finishing | Polish filtration; drying over anhydrous sodium sulphate or by vacuum |
| Automation | PLC-based |
| Plant Capacity | Configured to requirement |
| Utility Requirements | Steam, chilled/cooling water, compressed air and power (project-specific) |
| Compliance | GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
| Final Product Form | May Chang essential oil; aromatic hydrosol as co-product |
Plant Capacities
| Plant Scale | Raw Material Throughput | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Configured to your feedstock and trial plan | Product development, parameter validation |
| Semi-Commercial | Configured between pilot and commercial scale | Scale-up trials, contract manufacturing |
| Commercial | Configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume | Commercial production |
Capacity is configured to raw-material supply, confirmed buyer volume and investment timeline; a pilot plant is recommended to validate parameters before scaling.
Manufacturing Process
Raw Material Preparation
May Chang fruits are sorted and cleaned of foreign matter and, where required, dried or size-adjusted so that the charge packs evenly in the still.
Charging & Distillation
The prepared May Chang fruit charge is loaded into the SS 316L still and distilled by steam, hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation, selected during process development for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the target oil. Mechotech’s legacy page text describes steam distillation of the fruits.
Condensation
Vapours pass through a multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation, condensing the oil and hydrosol.
Oil–Water Separation
Condensate is separated in a stainless-steel Florentine flask; the oil is collected and the hydrosol is drawn off and can be recovered as a co-product.
Polishing & Drying
The crude oil is polish-filtered and dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate or by vacuum to remove residual moisture.
Quality Control
Each batch is sampled for GC-MS profile and physical parameters — specific gravity, refractive index, optical rotation — against the client’s specification.
Major Plant Equipment
- Fruit cleaning, sorting and drying system
- Perforated basket or false-bottom charge support
- SS 316L distillation still / extractor
- Multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation
- Stainless-steel Florentine flask (oil–water separator)
- Polish filtration system
- Drying unit (anhydrous sodium sulphate or vacuum)
- CIP system
- PLC-based automation and instrumentation
Plant Output
Applications
- Skin-care products
- Aromatherapy applications
- Muscle-care products
- Household and air-care products
- Natural deodoriser and insect-repellent products
Key Features
SS 316L Construction
Product-contact surfaces are SS 316L for corrosion resistance and product purity, with CIP capability between batches.
Efficient Condensation
Multi-tube condensers with chilled-water circulation condense the volatile oil and hydrosol and limit loss of volatile top-notes.
Configurable Distillation Mode
The still is configured for steam, hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation, selected during process development for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the target oil.
Hydrosol Recovery
Integrated oil–water separation allows the aromatic hydrosol to be drawn off and recovered as a co-product.
Scalable Capacity
Plants are configured to requirement from pilot scale upward, with modular expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mechotech supply the complete machinery for May Chang?
What specification can the May Chang plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the May Chang plant?
Which end uses are listed for the May Chang plant?
Which part of May Chang is processed in the distillation plant?
How is May Chang oil produced in the plant?
What is the botanical source and marker compound of May Chang on this page?
Is May Chang the same as Cubeb / Java Pepper?
How does May Chang differ from the other citral-bearing lemon-scented pages?
Which neighbouring plants does the product tree list with May Chang?
Ready to discuss your project?
Get a free quote and technical consultation from our engineering team.