The food and flavor industry has been working to establish standards which specify the preferred chemical profile of essential oils. The enantiomeric ratio of optically active components of essential oils is often specific to the species and origin of the material used in the production of the extracts and oils.

When analyzing compounds with identical mass spectra, chromatography must be used to provide separation so identification can be made. If the physical properties are different, the resolution can be achieved by the oven program rate or by selection of the appropriate stationary phase. With enantiomers, the only distinguishable properties are the optical characteristics.

Stationary phases with derivatized cyclodextrin macromolecules have been developed to provide separation of enantiomers. This application describes the use of a single quadrupole mass spectrometer with a chiral column for the identification of enantiomers in bergamot, peppermint, spearmint, and rose oil. A predominant enantiomer isomer, characteristic of a natural oil, was found in each oil sample analyzed.