AROMATERAPI ATASI TEKANAN

3Juta Rakyat Malaysia Sakit Mental?

SUNGAI PETANI, 22 Nov 2007 (Bernama) — Sebanyak 16 peratus atau tiga juta daripada 26 juta penduduk di negara ini disahkan mengalami sakit mental dan jumlah ini adalah sesuatu yang membimbangkan, kata Menteri Kesihatan Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. Katanya, penemuan data terbaru Kajian Kesihatan dan Morbiditi Kebangsaan bagi tahun 2006 mendapati kes gangguan mental di kalangan rakyat Malaysia meningkat sebanyak hampir 6 peratus berbanding kajian yang dijalankan 10 tahun lepas.

Beliau berkata, daripada jumlah itu, sebanyak 20.3 peratus adalah di kalangan kanak-kanak dan remaja berusia bawah 16 tahun. “Antara faktor tekanan jiwa di kalangan remaja adalah kerana gagal mendapat keputusan yang baik dalam peperiksaan, tekanan daripada keluarga dan sekolah serta tiada sokongan masyarakat,” kata beliau kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Hari Kesihatan Mental Sedunia peringkat kebangsaan di sini hari ini.

Katanya, ada di antara murid sekolah tertekan kerana tidak mendapat semua A dalam peperiksaan dan kemudiannya mereka dihina dan dikatakan bodoh serta tidak berguna untuk hidup, jadi mereka mengambil jalan mudah untuk menyelesaikan masalah iaitu dengan membunuh diri.
Chua berkata, daripada jumlah itu juga sebanyak 11.2 peratus adalah pesakit di kalangan orang dewasa dan 19.5 peratus di kalangan warga emas yang berusia melebihi 70 tahun.
“Masalah kesihatan mental tidak boleh dipandang ringan, beban penyakit itu memberi kesan kepada masyarakat dan negara dan kos perubatan untuk pesakit mental adalah semakin tinggi manakala pesakit pula sering tidak mendapatkan rawatan awal kerana percayakan rawatan bomoh,” kata beliau.

Kes membunuh diri juga didapati semakin meningkat dengan sebanyak 20 hingga 30 orang daripada setiap 100,000 rakyat Malaysia membunuh diri setiap tahun.

Beliau berkata, kementerian juga mengalami masalah kekurangan pakar psikiatri kerana stigma masyarakat untuk menjadi pakar jiwa.”Ada orang kita menggelar pakar jiwa `doktor gila’ dan ini menyebabkan kursus perubatan psikiatri tidak begitu popular sehingga sekarang,” kata beliau.
Katanya, setakat ini cuma terdapat 145 orang pakar psikiatri dan negara memerlukan lebih 300 pakar lagi dalam bidang itu untuk mencapai nisbah 50 pesakit bagi seorang psikiatri. Chua berkata, sehubungan itu kerajaan mahu usaha mempertingkatkan kesedaran mengenai kesihatan mental dipertingkatkan.

AROMATERAPI MEMBANTU PELAJAR? BAGAIMANA?

Daripada artikel di atas, dapat kita simpulkan bahawa golongan pelajar tidak terkecuali daripada terkena tekanan hidup. Contoh-contoh yang dapat kita petik dari artikel tersebut seperti: “Antara faktor tekanan jiwa di kalangan remaja adalah kerana gagal mendapat keputusan yang baik dalam peperiksaan, tekanan daripada keluarga dan sekolah serta tiada sokongan masyarakat,” kata Menteri Kesihatan pada masa itu, Dr Chua Soi Lek kepada pemberita. Jadi bayangkan tekanan hidup yang dihadapi oleh para remaja sekalian terutamanya para pelajar.

Terdapat juga para pelajar yang tertekan kerana tidak mendapat semua A dalam peperiksaan dan kemudiannya mereka dihina dan dikatakan bodoh serta tidak berguna untuk hidup, jadi mereka mengambil jalan mudah untuk menyelesaikan masalah iaitu dengan membunuh diri. Bukankah perkara ini amat membimbangkan dan sekiranya berlanjutan kemungkinan kita akan kehilangan ramai pelajar yang berpotensi menjadi tunggak kepada negara di masa akan datang.

Apa pula fungsi aromaterapi dalam mengatasi tekanan pelajar? Daripada perkataan aromaterapi itu sendiri dapat kita memahami bahawa aromaterapi adalah salah satu terapi tekanan dengan menggunakan aroma. Tahukah anda bauan aromaterapi mampu memberi ketenangan kepada anda sekaligus membantu anda mengatasi tekanan dan mengelakkan anda daripada terkena pelbagai penyakit yang akan memudaratkan anda. Tahukah anda sekiranya penyakit mental yang dialami berpanjangan ianya akan memberi kesan kepada kesihatan dan peluang untuk anda terkena penyakit-penyakit berikut adalah besar seperti:

1. Barah Perut
2. Penyakit kardiovaskular
3. Saluran koronari jantung
4. Pendarahan
5. Keadaan berkait dengan otot

Karl Albrecht di dalam Stress and the Manager (1979): “Tindak balas tekanan ialah pergerakan kimia yang disesuaikan di dalam seluruh tubuh manusia untuk memenuhi keperluan dalam pergelutan kehidupan dan kematian atau untuk mendapatkan kebebasan yang pantas dalam keadaan itu. Tindak balas tekanan ini bergantung kepada penanggapan otak terhadap betapa parahnya keadaan.”

Aromaterapi yang mempunyai kandungan minyak pati berikut membantu anda sebagai pelajar:

1. Lavender: Menenangkan dan mengurangkan tegangan

Sememangnya bauan lavender sangat mendamaikan serta memberi perasaan tenang dan mengatasi tegangan yang dialami. Sebagaimana yang kita tahu, minyak pati Lavender selalu digunakan sebagai minyak wangi dan kini juga boleh digunakan untuk aromaterapi. Bauannya yang lembut memberi perasaan tenang dan damai kepada pemakai. Ianya mengurangkan kesakitan sakit kepala apabila dihidu bauannya menggunakan diffuser ataupun disapukan terus ke kulit anda.

2. Rosemary: Mengasah dan merangsang minda

Michales Scholes dari pusat Pengajian Kajian Aromatic Michales Scholes berpendapat samada secara sendirian atau bercampur bersama, lavender, chamomile, peppermint, spearmint dan rosemary membolehkan seseorang itu relaks serta menurunkan tekanan darah. Kajian mendapati asid karnosik yang terdapat dalam Rosemary mampu menurunkan risiko penyakit seperti alzheimer dan strok.

3. Geranium: mengatasi stress

Minyak pati geranium biasanya diperolehi hasil pengekstrakan daunnya yang mengandungi anti-bakteria, anti-tekanan, anti-virus, anti-radang, menenangkan, mengimbangi dan merangsang tubuh supaya kekal sihat.

4. Clary Sage: Ketenangan

Minyak pati clary sage digunakan sebagai anti-stress, pewangi badan yang mengandungi antiseptik, membantu pencernaan, dan sebagai sedatif.

5. Sandalwood: insomnia dan ketegangan

6. Juniper Berry : Mengatasi tekanan dan perasaan marah

7. Sweet Marjoram: Mengurangkan keletihan

Rangkaian minyak pati aromaterapi dari Tropical Bioessence membantu anda mengatasi stress yang terdiri daripada bauan cajeputi (daun gelam), Citrus Lime, Cinnamon leaf (daun kayu manis), Patchouli (nilam), citronella (Serai wangi) dan lavender.

Berikut merupakan minyak pati yang digunakan untuk mengatasi masalah yang berkait rapat dengan tekanan. Minyak pati banyak memberi manfaat kepada pelajar-pelajar yang banyak terdedah kepada tekanan seperti di bawah:

1. Marah, Keletihan: Basil, bergamot, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, geranium, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, ylang-ylang

2. Ketegangan: Basil, clary sage, grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, melissa, neroli, rose, sandalwood, vetiver, ylang-ylang

3. Masalah sukar tidur(Insomnia): Basil, chamomile, lavender, mandarin, marjoram, melissa, neroli, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood, thyme, ylang-ylang

4. Perasaan gelisah: Basil, cinnamon, citronella, coriander, ginger, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, lavender, lemon grass, peppermint, nutmeg, rosemary, ylang-ylang

5. Tekanan yang melampau: Basil, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, frankincense, geranium, jasmine, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, palmarosa, rosemary, vetiver, ylang-ylang

Jadi jangan ragu-ragu untuk menggunakan aromaterapi kerana ianya banyak membantu dari segi kesihatan kepada anda sebagai pelajar.

Sutra Essential @ sutraessential.blogspot.com

Maklumat Ringkas Perbadanan Bioteknologi Melaka (PBM)

Perbadananan Bioteknologi Melaka ditubuhkan pada Februari 2003 dan telah dirasmikan oleh Dato’ Seri Hj. Abdullah bin Hj Ahmad Badawi pada 13 Januari 2005. Agensi badan berkanun ini merupakan pusat bioteknologi pertama yang ditubuhkan di Malaysia. Dibawah PBM, terdapat dua entiti yang menjadi tunjang kepada operasi keseluruhannya iaitu Institut Bioteknologi Melaka sebagai pusat penyelidikan dan pembangunan dan Melaka Biotech Holding Sdn. Bhd. yang berperanan sebagai agensi pelaburan dan pengkomersilan produk hasilan pakar penyelidik di Institut. PBM ini ditubuhkan oleh kerajaan Negeri Melaka dengan tujuan untuk mempromosikan penyelidikan dan pembangunan yang berasaskan bioteknologi di Negeri Melaka.

Dengan usaha yang berterusan, sokongan dan galakkan dari Kerajaan Negeri Melaka, PBM akan terus menjadikan bidang bioteknologi sebagai salah satu agenda bagi mencapai matlamat Melaka Maju 2010 dengan menyahut seruan YAB Perdana Menteri dalam menjadikan industri bioteknologi sebagai salah satu pemangkin pembangunan negara.

Peluang pelaburan

Kerajaan Negeri Melaka telah menyediakan pelbagai kemudahan infrastruktur bagi pembangunan bioteknologi Negeri Melaka seperti Bio City yang dijangka dapat menarik minat pelabur asing ke Melaka. Tidak ketinggalan, Penubuhan Taman Bioteknologi MIEL Londang turut membantu usahawan supaya terlibat secara langsung dalam bidang bioteknologi. Bantuan kewangan dari agensi perbankan dan juga geran pembangunan perniagaan merupakan antara usaha kerajaan bagi menarik minat pelabur untuk melabur di Melaka.

Antara pencapaian PBM yang terkini adalah penubuhan makmal toksikologi yang yang berfungsi untuk menjalankan ujian toksikologi yang melibatkan pelbagai sektor seperti perindustrian, alam sekitar, pengeluaran makanan dan kosmetik. Dengan adanya perkhidmatan ini, pelabur yang terlibat secara langsung atau tidak, dapat menikmati perkhidmatan ini supaya dapat menjalankan aktiviti masing-masing dengan selamat. Selain itu PBM turut menawarkan beberapa perkhidmatan ujian klinikal antaranya, antioksidan khusus untuk pelabur yang ingin mendapatkan pengesahan produk mereka dalam industri makanan dan kosmetik.

Selain itu, PBM telah menghasilkan dua usahawan yang berjaya untuk mengkomersilkan produk mereka untuk produk penjagaan diri dan rumah- Tropical Bioessence Sdn. Bhd. serta industri kultur tisu iaitu Invitrotech Sdn. Bhd. bagi tumbuhan yang bernilai tinggi seperti herba dan tanaman komersil. PBM mengalu-alukan kedatangan para pelabur untuk melabur dalam bidang bioteknologi dengan menyertai Program Pemindahan Teknologi (Technology Transfer)

Sutra Essential @ sutraessential.blogspot.com

RM420 untuk setiap 12 gram minyak pati gaharu

Mazalan Mohamed dari Gua Musang menjual minyak gaharu pada harga RM420 untuk 12 gram di pasaran Dubai dan Bahrain.

TATKALA menaip perkataan 'gaharu' di laman web, bersusun alamat laman web dari Indonesia pada skrin komputer. Masing-masing mempromosikan minyak gaharu atau lebih dikenali sebagai agarwood oil di peringkat dunia.

Minyak yang menghasilkan aroma yang mewangi ini mendapat permintaan yang amat tinggi di Timur Tengah, terutamanya Arab Saudi dan Dubai, berikutan adat masyarakat di sana yang gemarkan wangi-wangian. Ia sama ada dicampur dengan minyak lain untuk menghasilkan minyak wangi atau minyak atar, atau dijual tulen.

Malaysia sebaliknya lebih cenderung untuk mengeksport hasil kayu ini dalam bentuk kepingan kayu karas atau damar gaharu berbanding minyak yang diekstrak.

Malah sehingga tahun 1997, Lembaga Perkayuan Malaysia (MTC) melaporkan bahawa negara ini pernah mengeksport gaharu dalam bentuk kepingan bernilai lebih RM50 juta dalam tempoh lima tahun.

"Saya sudah terlibat dalam perniagaan karas-gaharu ini sejak 18 tahun lalu. Tujuh tahun pertama saya mulakan dengan menjual kepingan kayu karas dan damarnya sahaja, sama ada ke pasaran Thailand ataupun tempatan.

"Tetapi setelah melihat cara kayu-kayu ini diproses serta pulangan yang cukup lumayan daripada penjualan minyaknya, saya memutuskan untuk pergi lebih jauh," ujar Mazalan Mohamed, 40, yang ditemui di kilang memproses minyak gaharunya yang terletak di Kampung Star Baru, Gua Musang, Kelantan.

Mesin pengisar yang didatangkan dari Thailand

Mazalan turut beroperasi tanpa orang tengah, selain mengubah pendekatan perniagaan dengan menjual minyak gaharu berbanding sekadar kepingan kayu karas.

Jika sebelum ini Mazalan hanya memenuhi permintaan Thailand dan tempatan, kini minyak gaharu keluaran PMW Enterprise sudah berada dalam pasaran Dubai, Arab Saudi dan Bahrain.

Menjenguk kilang-kilang pemprosesannya, bahang yang berkuap di dalam dirian sederhana itu tidak sedikit pun melunturkan semangat krewEKSTRA untuk meninjau lanjut.

Kedatangan yang disambut dengan pemandangan dua wanita berusia yang sedang mencincang kepingan kayu karas yang memenuhi ruang lantai menambah lagi keinginan untuk meneroka.

Biarpun bertubuh kurus dan sudah berusia, kedua-dua wanita ini pantas saja melakukan kerja. Sekali-sekala melemparkan senyuman ke arah kami, tangan mereka terus menghentak parang dalam genggaman.

Potongan kayu karas itu kemudiannya dimasukkan ke dalam sebuah mesin pengisar yang berdiri tegap di satu sudut. Kongsi Mazalan, mesin itu berharga tidak kurang daripada RM12,500 sebuah.

"Hasil kisaran kemudiannya diperam di dalam air selama dua minggu. Selepas itu ia akan dikeringkan. Untuk karas gred rendah, kami asingkan untuk dijual bagi membuat colok.

"Hasil daripada karas gred bermutu lebih tinggi akan dimasak di dalam dapur antara lima hingga 10 hari, bergantung kepada gred, untuk mengekstrak minyaknya," jelas anak kelahiran Kampung Chasi, Tok Uban, Pasir Mas, Kelantan ini.

Bahagian pemprosesan yang menggunakan teknologi yang 'diimport' dari Thailand ini memperlihatkan 60 dapur berbaris panjang dengan setiap satunya dilengkapi tong gas sendiri. Kata Mazalan, kos keseluruhan pembinaan dapur ini ialah RM50,000.

"Satu pusingan memasak serbuk kayu karas untuk gred C rendah, yang mengambil masa lima hari, menghabiskan sehingga dua tong gas 16.5 kilogram.

"Tetapi untuk gred C tinggi dan ke atas yang dimasak sehingga 10 hari, empat tong gas yang sama diperlukan," tambah bapa kepada empat orang anak ini.

KOS pembuatan dan pemasangan dapur ini mencecah RM50,000.

---

Selepas lima hari, minyak gaharu akan terkumpul di dalam tabung suling dan terapung di lapisan atas permukaan air. Ekstrak ini akan 'dikutip' pada setiap lima hari mengikut jadual yang ditetapkan.

Mendirikan tiga buah kilang, dengan sebuah di Bukit Beruntung, Selangor, Mazalan berkata pemprosesan dijalankan 24 jam sehari. Ini kerana jika api dapur dimatikan, proses pemanasan akan menggunakan lebih banyak gas dan memakan masa.

Untuk tujuan eksport, Mazalan menyimpan minyak gaharu yang telah dikumpul ke dalam botol aluminium bermuatan 1.2 liter. Dalam sebulan, dapur itu dapat menghasilkan enam botol aluminium minyak gaharu.

"Minyak ini dijual pada harga RM420 setiap 12 gram, iaitu menyamai satu botol tolal.

"Kami dapat menjual pada harga ini kerana kami dapat menyediakan minyak gaharu yang pekat sebagaimana diminta pembeli," katanya yang menjelaskan, semakin pekat minyak gaharu, semakin tinggi nilainya.

Sutra Essential @ sutraessential.blogspot.com

Kementerian Tingkatkan Penghasilan Minyak Pati Berskala Komersil

Kementerian Tingkatkan Penghasilan Minyak Pati Berskala Komersil
ALOR GAJAH, 16 Jun (Bernama) -- Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani akan mempertingkatkan penghasilan minyak pati berskala komersil yang boleh dipakejkan sebagai satu entiti pelaburan untuk dieksport .

Timbalan Menterinya, Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim berkata Institut Penyelidikan dan Kemajuan Pertanian Malaysia (MARDI) menerusi pusat inkubator di Kuala Linggi di sini memberi tumpuan kepada produk minyak pati berasaskan herba.

"Permintaan kepada minyak pati yang sebagai bahan utama minyak wangi mencecah kepada lima tan metrik sebulan oleh beberapa negara Kesatuan Eropah (EU) termasuk Switzerland," katanya kepada pemberita pada majlis pelancaran inkubator teknologi penyulingan minyak pati dan penutup bulan teknologi pertanian di stesen Mardi Kuala Linggi di sini.

Inkubator Teknologi Minyak Pati di Kuala Linggi adalah inkubator perintis dan satu-satunya di negara ini yang telah beroperasi sejak 2006.

Pada masa ini, katanya MARDI yang telah membangunkan pusat inkubator teknologi minyak pati dan pemprosesan produk berasaskan minyak pati hanya berupaya menghasilkan 40 kilogram sehari.

"Penghasilan berskala kecil ini masih jauh untuk memenuhi permintaan sebanyak lima tan metrik sebulan," katanya.

Menurut Rohani, bagi memenuhi permintaan sebanyak lima tan metrik sebulan oleh EU, memerlukan saiz tanah seluas 300 hektar bagi pengeluaran pokok nilam yang menghasilkan minyak pati.

Beliau berkata MARDI telah melantik Syarikat Essfa Sdn Bhd sebagai inkubati bagi inkubator teknologi di Kuala Linggi dan penghasilan lima tan metrik yang diperlukan akan bergantung kepada keupayaan syarikat berkenaan memenuhi permintaan.

"Pada masa kini, penghasilan minyak pati di Kuala Linggi dihasilkan menerusi ladang di Pagoh, Muar dan sekitar Kuala Linggi pada skala kecil iaitu kira-kira 30 hektar," katanya.

Harga semasa bagi satu kilogram minyak pati yang dieksport mencecah AS$100 (kira-kira RM353).

Beliau berkata saiz pasaran minyak pati dunia bernilai AS$7.5 bilion (RM26.5 bilion) setahun dan usaha mengkomersilkan minyak pati diharap dapat mengurangkan import minyak pati yang kini mencecah RM200 juta setahun.

Katanya kementerian juga merancang untuk membina sebuah lagi inkubator teknologi minyak pati di Bintulu, Sarawak.

Antara negara di rantau ini yang merupakan negara pengeluar minyak pati ialah Indoensia, China dan India.

Yang turut hadir di majlis itu ialah Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pembangunan Desa dan Pertanian negeri Datuk Mohamad Hidhri Abu Hassan dan Ketua Pengarah MARDI Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Abdul Rahman.

-- BERNAMA

Sutra Essential @ sutraessential.blogspot.com

MINISTRY AIMS TO RAISE ESSENTIAL OIL OUTPUT FOR EXPORT

LOR GAJAH, June 16 (Bernama) -- The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry will intensify efforts to increase the production of commercial essential oils for export, Deputy Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim said today.

She said the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) through its incubator centre at Kuala Linggi here was giving focus to herbal-based essential oils.

The demand for essential oils for use in perfumes has breached five metric tonnes per month in several European countries, including Switzerland, she told reporters at the closing ceremony of Agricultural Technology Month here.

The essential oil technology incubator here has been in operation since 2006 with a production capacity of 40 kilogrammes each day.

"The output is small and far from being able to meet the monthly demand," Rohani said.

She said that to meet the current demand, a site of 300 hectares will be needed to cultivate the plants to produce the essential oils.

Rohani said MARDI has appointed Syarikat Essfa Sdn Bhd as an incubatee at the incubator centre to help increase the production of essential oils.

She said that currently, the essential oils produced by the incubator came from plants in Pagoh, Muar and Kuala Linggi, totalling about 30 hectares.

Rohani said the current price for each kilogramme of essential oils was over US$100 (about RM353) and the market was estimated to be worth US$7.5 billion (RM26.5 billion).

She said that efforts to commercialise the essential oils could help to reduce the import of such oils which was more than RM200 million annually.

Rohani also said that the ministry was planning to set up another technology incubator in Bintulu, Sarawak.

Other essential oil exporters in the region included Indonesia, China and India, she added. -- BERNAMA


Sutra Essential @ sutraessential.blogspot.com

TROPICAL BIOESSENCE SDN BHD COMPANY PROFILE

INTRODUCTION

Tropical Bioessence Sdn. Bhd. (TBESB) began as Research-Develoment-

Commercial operation in March 2005 at Melaka Institute of Biotechnology. We

have grown steadily for over a year become a major supplier extracts in the

booming natural products industry, aromatherapy especially. Currently we are

the major supplier in Malaysia for essential oil, essential oil-based products and

also herbal extracts. This outstanding performance throughout the years reflects

our close harmony with both industry trends and the values of natural products

consumers.

TBESB has demonstrated a strong business growth. The business was originally

structured as a producer of essential oil and herbal extracts to end user.

However with the great demand of natural product especially in aromatherapy

products, TBESB now has several distributor and marketer in order to fulfill the

demand.

The most sustained and dramatic success with product expansion has been in

the area of aromatherapy. Early in history, TBESB accommodate its customer by

buying bulk quantity of essential oils, blending and rebottling them in 10ml and

100ml bottles. This line grew steadily as the concept and practice of

aromatherapy became increasingly popular in Malaysia. In an effort to meet as

many customer requests as possible, TBESB expanded its nature of business, as

a manufacturer of essential oils and few lines of essential oil-base products with

added many uncommon herbs and spices oil.

To realize the vision, in June 2006, with the assist of Majlis Amanah Rakyat

(MARA) TBESB has rent 5,300 sq. ft factory to build commercial essential oil and

herbal extract plants. As a result, TBESB started their full commercial scale

extraction by January 2007.

Company’s Vision

To be an international leadership in production, value adding and marketing of

essential oil, herbal and medicinal plant extracts.

Company’s mission

1. To produce standard quality essential oil, herbal and medicinal products

suitable for both local and international market.

2. To promote awareness and understanding of markets on essential oil, herbal

and medicinal products to end-user as multi purpose home usage.

3. Improving continues effort on R&D in order to foster efficient industry

development on essential oils and herbal extracts.

4. Encouraging the development of new crops and products to take advantage of

market opportunities.

5. Improving yield and quality through technological advances.

TBESB will focus on products that have good market potential. Strategic

alliance with R&D institutions will enable the organization control its

manufacturing efficiency in production by improving extraction process, value

adding, implementing quality assurance and control programs to guarantee

consistency of quality.

We at TBESB believe in giving the best products and services to our customers.

COMPANY PROFILE

a. Name Of Company - Tropical Bioessence Sdn Bhd.

b. Company Registration Number - 683554-V

c. Date of Incorporation - 8 March 2005

d. Registered Address

- Suite 3-2, Aras 3, Menara MITC, Jalan Konvensyen, Kompleks MITC, 75450 Melaka

e. Operation Address - Factory

No. ST 519, Jalan Tunas Baru, Seksyen ¼,

Kawasan Perindustrian Masjid Tanah MIEL,

78300 Masjid Tanah, Melaka

g. Marketing Address

Tropical Bioessence Marketing, No 88 Jalan TU2, Taman Tasik Utama, Hang Tuah Jaya, 75450 Ayer Keroh,

Melaka, Malaysia.

Phone : +606-2324188

Fax : +606-2323887

h. email and homepage of company

email: aromasutra@live.com

Website : www.sutraessential.com

i. Equity Structure:

Authorized Capital : RM100, 000.00

Paid-Up Capital : RM100,000.00

PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT

The company has a well equipped manufacturing unit with state-of-the-art

technology. The various unit operations are carried out using mechanized

technology, eliminating human handling operations to a great extent. This

ensures uniformity in production, avoid contamination and affirms reproducibility

and consistency of products from batch to batch.

The production facility contains steam distillation with capacity 200kg per day,

multipurpose extractor, water extractor, spray dryer, oven dryer, milling,

blending and bottling equipment.

CAPACITY

a) Essential oil : 200kg raw material per day with total 300L essential oil per

annum

b) Pure Herbal extracts : i) water based with 300L per day with 1200 kg per

annum

c) Aromatherapy handmade soap : 1000pcs per day

PRODUCTS

Essential Oil Products:

1) Pure Essential Oil

2) Blended Essential Oil

3) Aromatherapy Massage Oil

ESSENTIAL OIL AND HERBAL BASED PRODUCTS

I. Aromatherapy Soap

a. Rectangular shape (100g)

II. Foot and Bath Salts

III. Therapeutic grade massage oils

IV. Aromatherapy Hair & Body Shampoo (250ml)

V. Body & Hand Lotion (tba)

VI. Body Scrub (tba)

VII. Beauty Products (tba)

QUALITY

TBESB Quality Control laboratory is well equipped with modern analytical

instruments such as Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, refractive index

and specific gravity. Our quality management and quality assurance policy

ensures reliability and assures that enquiries and orders are given prime

importance and are dealt wisely in a systematic and timely manner

Raw material supply:

In order to have enough and continuously supply of raw material, TBESB has

done some contract farming with government agencies and individual who are

capable and have strength in financial aspect. Currently we have practiced

INTERGRATION SYSTEM where our contract farmers will growth planting

material which originated from tissue culture techniques. This planting material

will be supplied by Invitro Tech Sdn. Bhd. Our company will buy back the

material from the farmers. Therefore, this system will provide win-win situation

to the plant supplier, farmer and approximately our company. This system will

promise the continuity and reliable supply of raw material.

CONTRACT AND SERVICES

1.1 TBESB also offers contract manufacturing of;

1.1.1 Essential oil

1.1.2 Blended oil

1.1.3 Massage oil

1.1.4 Essential oil-based liquid hand soap

1.1.5 Essential oil-based shower gel and shampoo

1.2 TBESB also offer contract services for ;

1.2.1 Extraction of essential oil

1.2.2 Blending oil and bottling

1.2.3 Extraction of herbal extracts

COLLABORATIONS

1) MELAKA INSTITUTE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

I. Product's production method and protocol

II. Research and development for product proving evidence

III. Product testing for quality assurance and quality control

Sutra Essential @ sutraessential.blogspot.com

How Essential Oils Work

How Essential Oils Are Produced

From HowStuffWorks.com

There are several different ways to extract essential oils, and all require elaborate equipment. As you will see from the following descriptions, most extraction techniques are based on the fact that the majority of essential oils mix with oils, fats, alcohol, and certain solvents, but not with water. Some methods are more suitable for certain plants than others, depending on the plant's chemical make-up.

Producing essential oils involves complex and elaborate equipment, and is beyond the scope of anything you can do in the home.

Distillation

Most pure essential oils are extracted from plants through steam distillation. Freshly picked plants are suspended over boiling water, and the steam pulls the oils out of the plant. The steam rises, is captured in a vessel, and is pushed along tubing. Then the steam is rapidly cooled, causing it to condense back into water. Since water and essential oils do not mix, the two separate, and the essential oil is collected.

A byproduct of this distillation is the remaining water. Some plants contain aromatic compounds that are so water soluble, they remain in the water that is left over after distillation. Such waters are very fragrant and are prized by aromatherapists, who refer to them as hydrosols. In aromatherapy, hydrosols are used mostly in cosmetics to moisturize skin.

Expression

The most direct method of producing essential oils is pressing them from the plant's flesh, seeds, and skins -- a process similar to that used to obtain olive oil. This technique is used mostly with citrus peels, such as orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit, because the oil in their peels is easily pressed out.
Enfleurage

This very old method is rarely used today except in France. It is a long and complicated process that has become very expensive. Blossoms are set on sheets of warm fat that absorb the oil from the flowers. Originally animal fat or lard was used, but now vegetable fats are more common. Once the essential oil has been incorporated into the fat, the "exhausted" flowers are removed and replaced with fresh ones. The process is repeated several times until the fat is infused with fragrance. Then the fat is separated out with solvents, leaving just the essential oil.

Solvents

Aromatherapists tend to shy away from oils obtained through chemical solvents, worrying that slight traces of the solvent may remain even though they are supposed to be completely removed. First, the plant is dissolved in a solvent such as benzene, hexane, or chlorure of methylene. The solvent, which has a low boiling point, is then evaporated off, sometimes with the help of a machine that uses vacuum or centrifugal force to help pull it away from the essential oil.

The resulting oils are called "absolutes." A similar method uses paraffin waxes as the solvent, but does not evaporate them off. Instead, the remaining paraffins cause the final product to be solid, and thus it is called "concrete."

Even though the evaporated solvent is recaptured and cooled back into liquid so that it can be reused, this process is still expensive. As a result, it is reserved for costly oils that cannot be distilled, such as jasmine and vanilla, or for rose essential oil, which is slightly less expensive when obtained through this process rather than through distillation.
Carbon Dioxide

New methods of obtaining essential oils are currently being introduced. One of the most interesting processes, although extremely expensive, extracts the oil with carbon dioxide. The delightful result is an essential oil scent that is very close to that of the plant itself.

Depending on the way the essential oil is produced the quality and concentration can be greatly affected.

Essential Oil Quality

Since they are products of nature, the quality of essential oils is affected by growing conditions, the particular species of plant, extraction techniques, and storage, among other factors. Even the type of soil, temperature, and cloud cover affect some oils.

To determine the quality of an essential oil, you'll need to be concerned with three crucial characteristics -- purity, grade, and integrity. The information below and lots of experience will guide you.

Purity

Purity is an important concern to anyone purchasing essential oils. They can be adulterated, cut, or entirely replaced with a cheaper substitute or extended or diluted with vegetable oils, alcohol, or solvents. These substitutes and extenders might not be derived from a plant at all. But even if they are, the oil will not be as potent as it should be, nor will it function as expected. Unfortunately, a label claiming a product is a pure essential oil is no guarantee that it is the real thing. An oil labelled rose or vanilla may have been produced in a laboratory out of synthetic chemicals, but it can still be labeled an essential oil.

Inexpensive oils such as orange, cedar, or peppermint are seldom altered. However, alteration is common with expensive oils that are in great demand, such as rose, melissa, and jasmine.
Dilution with vegetable oil is usually easy to detect. Dilution with alcohol may be a bit more difficult to determine, but these oils do have a slight alcohol odor. Oils adulterated with a clear, non-oily solvent are the most difficult to recognize. This is a potential health hazard as well, since such solvents are readily absorbed into the body when rubbed on the skin or inhaled through the lungs.
Grades

Many essential oils are sold to distributors in different grades. Their prices often reflect this: The better grades command up to double the cost of the lesser grades. For example, lavender is commonly available in at least a dozen different grades and lemon in four. The lesser grades are often still pure essential oil, but they contain less of the most important aromatic principles.

Different processing methods can produce different grades. For example, redistillation produces oil that is stronger in some compounds than others. This is typically done with peppermint oil so the chewing gum and candy it flavors has a lighter, fresher taste and smell.

Once your nose has had a little experience with essential oils, you'll find that higher grades generally are more intense and carry a richer bouquet of fragrance. Lower quality oils usually smell less complicated or weak because they do not contain a full range of aromatic compounds.

When two bottles of the same kind of oil smell differently, it does not necessarily mean that one is better than the other. The best quality oils are similar to fine wine in that even experts don't agree on their favorites. For example, one geranium essential oil might carry a distinctly stronger hint of citrus while another smells more like rose. Which is better? Most people will prefer the rose, but that doesn't make it better.
Integrity

By integrity we mean that the oil is pure and natural and comes from a single species of plant (and probably even from the same region and harvest). An oil with integrity is not whipped up in a laboratory or composed of cheaper essential oils. But inexpensive lemongrass or citronella essential oils sometimes masquerade as the very expensive melissa (lemon balm) oil. To make an artificial rose oil in the laboratory, rose geranium may be used as a starting point, then chemically altered to mimic, although never completely accurately, a rose scent.

The problem here is that although the end product still contains only pure, natural essential oils, it will not have the properties you want and expect. Asking for an oil by its Latin name may help, but it doesn't guarantee that you will get what you want.

How to Buy Essential Oils

At first, it may seem a formidable task to detect the difference between good and poor grades of oil or to spot a synthetic. But you'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it becomes, after only a little practice, to sniff out good essential oils.

Until your nose knows, you'll have to trust your source. Each essential oil company decides the quality it will offer. Some companies consistently sell the poorer, cheaper grades while others prefer to sell the higher grades. They will rarely offer you, as a retail consumer, a choice in grades. As a result, some lines tend to be more expensive than others. But do not use price alone to judge an oil's quality, since lower grades of oil may be sold for far more than they are worth. Remember, too, that store clerks do not always know much about aromatherapy and may naively think that anything labeled an essential oil comes from the plant named.

©Sutra Essential Cheaper essential oils may actually end up costing you more money in the end because they are weaker and you might have to use more to achieve the same effect.

Sophisticated advertising and fancy packaging may also be misleading. And, because not everyone cares about the healing effects, a few companies have filled the growing demand for scents with the cheapest means at their disposal. The most unscrupulous will sell low quality oils for the price of better ones.

This being said, you will find oils and related supplies at natural food stores, herb stores, specialty mail-order catalogs, and of course, at aromatherapy and skin care outlets. Some stores also have retail sites on the Internet.

Some essential oil mail-order companies are run by aromatherapists who stake their reputation on supplying high quality oils, so they may be the best way for you to get what you want. However, you need to know exactly what you want since you will not have the opportunity to sniff before purchase.

Price

There is great variation in the price of essential oils because some are more expensive to produce. In Bulgaria, schoolgirls labor in the misty morning, picking delicate rose petals just before the hot rays of the sun can release the fragrant oils into the air. Bulgaria produces the world's finest rose oil, but it takes about 600 pounds of petals to make a single ounce of oil! Rose oil also is expensive because the flowers must be carefully cultivated, pruned, and hand-picked.

Jasmine oil is expensive for similar reasons. Producing an ounce of pure jasmine requires 20 days labor for an experienced picker, followed by costly methods of extraction. As a result, rose and jasmine demand top dollar. On the other hand, peppermint is much less costly because the plant contains more essential oil, is relatively easy to grow and tend, and is harvested with machinery. The price of essential oils varies from $5 to an incredible $800 an ounce or more, reflecting the difficulty involved in their production.

Many other factors, such as difficult growing conditions, the rarity of the plant, or where the plant is grown, affect essential oil prices. Essential oils produced in the United States automatically demand a higher price to cover the greater costs of labor.

Surprisingly, cheaper oils will probably end up costing you more in the long run. Lesser quality oils are often weaker than high quality ones, and you will have to use more of them to achieve the same effect as a smaller amount of the high quality oil. Depending on how much more you have to use, you may end up spending more than if you'd simply purchased the better quality oil to begin with.

How to Store Essential Oils

Once you've purchased quality essential oils, you certainly will want to keep them that way. Store them in glass containers. Some essential oils can actually dissolve plastic, and storing them even temporarily in it may contaminate the oil. Don't store essential oils in dropper bottles either, as it doesn't take long for the rubber seals and squeeze bulbs to melt into a gooey mess.

The color of the bottle doesn't really matter. Just be sure to keep all essential oils out of direct sunlight and away from heat so they don't lose their potency.

Essential oils are natural preservatives and will help preserve your carrier oils. Their scent will change and fade over time, however, and eventually lose its quality. Properly stored, most oils will keep for at least several years. The citrus oils, such as orange and lemon, are most vulnerable to losing their smell, but even they will keep for a couple of years if refrigerated.

A few essential oils, including patchouli, clary sage, benzoin, vetiver, and sandalwood, actually help fix the scent of other aromas combined with them. And they get better with age. The same is true for thick resins such as myrrh. Patchouli that has been stored for many years smells so rich, few people recognize it -- even those who otherwise dislike it! Essential oils such as these become yet more valuable with age.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kathi Keville is director of the American Herb Association and editor of the American Herb Association Quarterly newsletter. A writer, photographer, consultant, and teacher specializing in aromatherapy and herbs for over 25 years, she has written several books, including Aromatherapy: The Complete Guide to the Healing Art and Pocket Guide to Aromatherapy, and has written over 150 articles for such magazines as New Age Journal, The Herb Companion, and New Herbal Remedies.

Sutra Essential @ sutraessential.blogspot.com