Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) Seed Oil: Alternative Source for ALA

Abstract

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) is an edible, herb belonging to Cruciferae family. The seeds of garden cress claimed to possess medicinal properties (galactogogue, diuretic, demulcent, aphrodisiac, carminative and emmenagogue). Garden cress seeds contain 21–24 % oil. Garden cress seed oil(GCO) nutritionally enrich with Alpha‐linolenic acid (30–34%), Antioxidants (Tocopherols‐1799 mg/kg oil, Phenolics‐124 mg GAE/kg of oil) and Phytosterols (14.33 mg/g) and it is also relatively stable oil due to the presence these minor molecules. Despite its great medicinal and nutritional value, garden cress has not received the attention it deserves. The United Nation Organization's. FAO has classified Cress is one of the underutilized or neglected crop among age old crops. If these neglected crops not paid attention, they may be extinct near future.The present study was part of Ph.D. thesis, the objective of thesis was aimed to explore & utilize the garden cress seed oil as a new source of health oil. Garden cress oil extracted from seeds and charterized for physicochemical properties, toxicants, safety and nutritional evaluations. It is also demonstrated utilization of GCO by using edible oil blending and microencapsulation technologies for successful application in foods system.Our research findings show that GCO is free from of any unusual fatty acid, it has good natural antioxidants with potential radical scavenging activity. Rats fed with GCO observed there are no significant changes in food intake, body weight gain, organ weights, clinical enzymes, histological changes in vital organs. GCO significantly modulated fatty acid and lipid profile. ALA from GCO and its blended oil was well absorbed, accumulated and metabolized to LCPUFAs (n‐6/n‐3 PUFA ratio of 2.3 to 2.6. and in native oils 50.2–157). By feeding rats with GCO significantly increased the tocopherols levels (12.2–21.6 %) and activity of antioxidant enzymes, and also significantly lowered platelet aggregation by increasing n‐3 PUFA levels in platelets and decreasing proaggregatroy prostaglandin thromboxane and prostacyclin.GCO was microencapsuled with Whey protein by using spray drying technique. Microencapsulation offered good oxidative protection during storage and also during baking, when GCO microcapsules incorporated in the cookies. These studies clearly indicated that GCO has potential qualities to become alternative source of omega‐3 PUFA for vegetarians. Some of the above findings were published food & nutrition journals, unpublished data will be discussed during the conference.