White thyme

White thyme oil originates from the low‑lying herbaceous shoots of Thymus vulgaris cultivated on calcareous soils. Growers sow seeds in early spring, allowing the plant to mature under full sun for 90‑120 days. Harvesters cut the aerial parts just before flowering, when thymol levels peak. The fresh foliage is immediately transported to a nearby distillation facility to preserve volatile compounds. In a stainless‑steel still, steam passes through the plant material at 100 °C, extracting essential oil droplets that rise with the vapor. The condensate enters a separator where water and oil split; the oil, lighter and pale‑gold, is collected and filtered through fine mesh. To protect its aromatic integrity, producers store the oil in amber glass bottles at 12‑15 °C, away from light and oxygen. Each batch undergoes gas‑chromatography analysis to confirm thymol content and to detect any unwanted constituents.