PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF KERNEL OIL FROM AMYGDALUS SCOPARIA GROWING WILD IN IRAN

Abstract

ABSTRACTAmygdalus scoparia kernel (ASK) oil showed significantly higher unsaturated to saturated fatty acids ratio (7.50) and calculated oxidizability value (3.23) than those of olive oil (4.61, 2.75). Significant differences existed between physicochemical indices of the ASK and olive oils. Peroxide value (meq/kg), acid value, iodine value, saponification number, refractive index, dynamic viscosity (cP) and density (g/cm3) of the ASK and olive oils were 0.38 and 0.83, 0.53 and 0.33, 97.32 and 84.12, 98.60 and 177.79, 1.4639 and 1.465, 113.16 and 104.48, and 0.9229 and 0.9091, respectively. Unsaponifiable matter contents, which were mainly composed of sterols, for the ASK and olive oils were 5.32 and 1.60%, respectively. Total tocopherols and phenolics contents of the ASK oil (744.98 and 37.18 mg/kg) were significantly higher than those of olive oil (365.59 and 15.65 mg/kg). Wax contents were statistically in the same range of 4.08–5.18%. Oxidative stability data indicated that the ASK oil is more resistant to the formation of primary, secondary and tertiary products of lipid oxidation.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThis research introduces Amygdalus scoparia, a species of almond growing wild in Iran, as a valuable source of vegetable oil for human nutrition and health with relatively high oxidative stability.