Why did many producers switch from fat extraction to volatile solvents?

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Producers of essential oils shifted from fat-based extraction methods—such as enfleurage and maceration—to the use of volatile solvents primarily because the traditional fat-based processes are considered rather expensive.1

While fat extraction remains historically significant for processing delicate flowers that do not yield sufficient oil through steam distillation, it is a labor-intensive and time-consuming procedure. By contrast, volatile solvents—such as petroleum naphthas, benzene, and alcohol—offer a more efficient alternative for recovering essential oils from plant materials that are otherwise unsuitable for distillation.1