Bitter almond oil should never be used in therapy.
Bitter almond oil contains prussic acid, known as cyanide, and is a well known poison. The Bitter almond tree is native to Western Asia and North Africa and is widely cultivated in Spain, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. Separating the kernels from their shells and then crushing them in a press produces a fixed oil. Bitter almond oil is not present in the nuts in their natural state. The prussic acid is removed from the kernels by alkali washing and rectification. The 'almond essence' thus produced is used as a food flavoring.
