Abstract
The fruit seed oils from four varieties of apricot ( Prunus armeniaca L.), namely, Halmas, Nari, Travet and Charmagzi were analyzed for different physico-chemical characteristics. The oil yield from the apricot seeds (kernels) ranged from 32.23-42.51%, while the protein, fiber and ash contents ranged from 13.21-20.90%, 5.13-9.81% and 2.11-3.89%, respectively. The extracted oils had an average iodine value (g of I/100 g of oil) of 96.4-106.3; density at 24 °C, 0.87-0.93 mg/mL; refractive index (40 °C), 1.4655-1.4790; saponification value, 189.1-199.4 mg of KOH/g oil; unsaponifiable matter, 0.59-0.88%; free fatty acid (mg of KOH/g oil), 0.41-1.28; and color (1-inch cell), 1.31-2.96R 1 14.8-29.8Y. With regard to the oxidation state, the tested oils showed values for specific extinction at 232 and 268 nm, 2.30-3.42 and 0.82-1.04, respectively, while the peroxide value was 1.0-2.32 meq O2/kg and, p-anisidine was 1.22-1.90. The major fatty acid found in the oils was oleic acid (62.34-80.97%) followed by linoleic (13.13-30.33%), palmitic (3.35-5.93%), linolenic (0.73-1.03%) and stearic (1.10-1.68%) acids. The contents of α-, γ-, and δ-, tocopherols in the oils ranged from 14.8-40.4, 330.8-520.8 and 28.5-60.2 mg/kg, respectively. The results of our present investigation revealed that apricot seed is a potential source of oil which can be used both for edible and oleochemical applications.
Highlights
Prunus, belonging to family Rosaceae, is a large genus consisting of about 430 species of both evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, distributed across the Northern Hemisphere and into the sub-tropics and tropic regions around the globe (Lee and Wen, 2001, Wen et al, 2008)
The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the detailed physico-chemical characteristics, fatty acid composition and tocopherol contents of fruit seed oils extracted from four different varieties of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) commonly grown in Pakistan
The oil content in the tested apricot seed kernels ranged from 32.23-42.51%, advocating that apricot kernel could be considered as a rich source of oil
Summary
Prunus, belonging to family Rosaceae, is a large genus consisting of about 430 species of both evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, distributed across the Northern Hemisphere and into the sub-tropics and tropic regions around the globe (Lee and Wen, 2001, Wen et al, 2008). Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is an important fruit tree of the family Rosaceae. It is mostly grown in Mediterranean countries as well as in Pakistan, USA, Iran and Russia (Hussain et al, 2011). The plant is well known for its great medicinal and economical importance. Its different parts are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of a variety of common diseases such as cough, asthma, bronchitis, anemia and fever (Fazlin et al, 2002, Panda, 2004; Erdogen-Orhan and Kartal, 2011).
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