I would like to make a statement at the two sessions| establish aromatherapy essential oil standards as soon as possible and promote the healthy development of the essential oil industry."

"Aromatherapy" as a branch of the big health industry is getting bigger and bigger in Shanghai. At the two sessions of the Shanghai Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference, Yao Lei, a member of the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, suggested that aromatic plant essential oils are the main supplies in "aromatherapy", and standards should be established as soon as possible for aromatherapy essential oils, so that the mainland essential oil industry can develop healthily.

"Aromatherapy" originated in Europe in the early 20th century, and was introduced to China in the 90s, mainly using aromatic plant essential oils to regulate people's psychology and physiology through massage, aromatherapy, bathing and other ways, so that the body and mind can be reconciled and balanced, relieve anxiety, fatigue, and improve immunity; at the same time, developed countries plant essential oils are also used in rehabilitation institutions, pension institutions and auxiliary therapy institutions in regular hospitals.

Yao Lei, who has long been engaged in the research of aromatic essential oils, said that nearly 30 years of scientific research has also proved that different plant essential oils have different health effects, and correct and rational use can solve many physical and mental problems. Some sub-health symptoms do not need to go to the hospital for injections and medicines, and the effect of relieving treatment can be achieved by sniffing and inhaling and massage of essential oils; it can also improve the living or working environment through fragrance, and disinfect bacteria and viruses in the environment, which have been used in many offices, hospitals, and schools.

The survey shows that the mainland has very rich aromatic plant resources, such as Lavender, Fragrant Perilla, Shen Vanilla, etc. in Xinjiang; Skullcap, Salvia of Gansu, Artemisia da seed, Bitter Water Rose; Fujian's Lamei, Stone Calamus, Shanxi's ChaiHu, Astragalus, Jiangxi's Curcuma, Motherwort, Yunnan's Bone And Bone Grass, Herb, Herb, Etc., And the aromatic plant resources that grow wild in large areas of the underdeveloped areas of the western part of the mainland are incompletely counted as 167 varieties, and once they are developed and utilized, they are not only conducive to the development of the aromatic industry. It is more conducive to the development of the local economy.

According to incomplete statistics, at present, aromatherapy involves more than 53 types of essential oils in the market, of which about 75% are marked as imports, and the rest are domestic. After years of tracking the essential oil ingredients in the market by Yao Lei and his peers, it was found that there were great differences in the essential oil ingredients of the same name on the market; or the essential oils were adulterated with fragrance components of non-natural components; or although they were natural ingredients, the key ingredients were low; or natural essential oils, but did not carry out impurities, decolorization, dewaxing, etc.

At the same time, the data shows that there are nearly 2,000 beauty and body salon physical stores in Shanghai, of which about 70% of the care products involve the use of essential oils, Taobao, Jingdong and other shopping platforms involve "essential oils" products are countless, the average price of 30ml packages ranges from 58-168 yuan, and the sales volume is not cheap.

"Although the prospects for the development of the essential oil market are promising, we also feel that this field is mixed and difficult to distinguish between true and false." There are also some errors in the use of essential oils, or safety issues caused by the use of essential oils containing toxic ingredients. Yao Lei suggested that Shanghai, as an international metropolis, should take the lead in establishing a special institution, setting up an expert committee, studying and formulating standards for the use of essential oils in aromatherapy, supervising and standardizing and cultivating the development of the essential oil market, changing the mixed situation of the essential oil market, and at the same time vigorously supporting the development of domestic essential oils at the raw material end, stimulating the development of the western economy, establishing an essential oil platform with Chinese characteristics, and letting the essential oils with Chinese characteristics go to the world.

Author: Jiang Peng

Editor: Jiang Peng