Exotic Oils Research Articles

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INDIGENOUS AND EXOTIC OIL PALM VARIETIES IN ANDHRA PRADESH: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF OIL PALM CULTIVATION

This study investigates the agronomic performance, adaptability, economic viability, and associated challenges of indigenous and exotic oil palm varieties in Andhra Pradesh, India. Recognizing the global significance of the oil palm industry and its growing importance in the region, our research aims to provide valuable insights for sustainable cultivation practices. The comparative analysis includes growth parameters, yield potential, climate resilience, soil adaptation, and economic considerations. Through a carefully designed experimental setup, we assess the performance of selected varieties over time, considering environmental impacts, social considerations, and ethical aspects. The study concludes with recommendations for farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders, aiming to guide decision-making and contribute to the responsible development of the oil palm industry in Andhra Pradesh. comparative study of indigenous and exotic oil palm varieties in Andhra Pradesh can provide valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of oil palm cultivation in the region. Such a study may encompass various aspects, including agronomic performance, yield potential, adaptability to local conditions, economic viability, and environmental impact.

The viability and desirability of replacing palm oil

The expansion of palm oil cultivation in recent decades has led to substantial increases in greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss from carbon-rich tropical forest. Because of this, there is increased focus on replacement of palm oil in industrial and consumer products. Plant oils like rapeseed and sunflower oil, exotic oils such as coconut oil and shea butter, and microbial single cell oils have been suggested as potential replacements. Here, we review each of these options from a technical, environmental and economic perspective, including the option to improve the sustainability of existing palm oil cultivation practices. Increasing concerns about the impacts of palm oil cultivation have led to a growing focus on how to replace palm oil in commercial applications. This Perspective analyses replacement options—from a technical, environmental and economic angle—and how to make current cultivation practices more sustainable.

Sustainability and life cycle assessment (LCA) of macroalgae-derived single cell oils

Marine macroalgae (seaweed) has many advantages over terrestrial crops as a source of renewable biomass but is severely underutilised at present, especially within Europe. In particular, macroalgae has elevated poly- and monosaccharide content, making it an ideal feedstock as a heterotrophic fermentation sugar source for the production of higher value chemicals. Recent reports have detailed the suitability of seaweeds as a feedstock for the production of single-cell oils (SCOs) which have application in food, oleochemicals and fuels. It is proposed that a biorefinery system based on the production of SCOs alongside other secondary metabolites, has the potential to provide a sustainable replacement to terrestrial oils such as palm oil.This work therefore evaluates, for the first time, the environmental and economic sustainability of a production process for SCOs from seaweed Saccharina latissima using the oleaginous yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima. Two alternative fermentation systems were considered, and uncertainties associated with the seasonal variation in seaweed carbohydrate yield and fermentation performance were integrated into the analysis. From an environmental perspective, the work indicates that seaweed derived SCO lipids and fats can be comparable to a terrestrial oil mix, with a potential climate change impact ranging between 2.5 and 9.9 kg CO2 eq. kg−1 refined SCO. Interestingly and of particular significance, environmental impacts are mainly dominated by energy demand within fermentation and upstream processing steps. From an economic perspective, a break-even selling price for the oil was determined as between €5,300-€31,000 tonne−1 refined SCO, which was highly dependent on cost of the seaweed feedstock.Overall, we demonstrate that key uncertainties relating to seaweed cultivation costs and hydrolysate fermentation at scale result in a large range in values for environmental impact and economic return on investment. Yet even within the constraints and limitations of current knowhow, seaweed already offers a viable proposition for the competitive production of exotic oils similar to cocoa or shea butter in price and nature.

Riparian buffers mitigate impacts of oil palm plantations on aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure in tropical streams of Borneo

Southeast Asia is undergoing extensive conversion to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) monocultures with fast growth expected in West Africa and South America. Despite rapid conversion rates, few tropical studies evaluate land-use change impacts on stream communities, with even fewer studies examining oil palm plantations (OP). In this pioneer study we compare macroinvertebrate community assemblages and their relationships with physico-chemical properties in OP streams bordered by different riparian buffer types to streams in a lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Our study sites were in increasing levels of riparian disturbance (reduced vegetation density, diversity and structural complexity): (i) Native reference forested sites (NF); (ii) OP streams buffered with patches of natural forest (OPF); (iii) OP streams buffered with untreated oil palm (no chemical application at buffer sites; OPOP); and (iv) OP streams without buffer (OPNB). Macroinvertebrates were collected from leaf litter bags deployed with leaves of varying quality - native Macaranga tanarius and exotic oil palm, and retrieved after 14 days. We found that although invertebrates are typically influenced by resource quality, no differences were detected in their assemblages between the leaf species. All litter bags were dominated by collector-gatherers, with few shredding invertebrates, indicating that they were using the leaves as a habitat rather than a food source. We found no significant differences in macroinvertebrate abundance, richness and sensitive taxa richness (EPT) regardless of the rate of riparian disturbance. However, PERMANOVA showed significant differences between the macroinvertebrate community composition of heavily disturbed OPNB and pristine NF streams. Retaining high quality riparian buffers in OPF streams and lower quality understory in OPOP streams posed intermediate effects on macroinvertebrate community composition. The differences between sites were explained by the increase in nutrients, particularly potassium and phosphorus, stream water temperatures and erosion levels that negatively correlated with macroinvertebrate assemblages in oil palm streams. These findings support the use of riparian buffers in oil palm plantations to mitigate land conversion impacts on macroinvertebrate communities in tropical streams.

Exotica, ornaments and idolatry in the poetry of Jan Six van Chandelier (1620-1695)

In the seventeenth century, the Dutch Republic occupied a central position in the world trade in exotica. Exotic goods were not only popular as foodstuffs, medicines, and curiosa, but also as artistic ornaments in Dutch art and literature. The literary representation of exotica in the poetry of drug merchant Jan Six van Chandelier (1620-1695) reveals how these exotic materials did not only promote scientific curiosity, but also gave rise to moral unease. This article analyses a series of eulogy poems Six wrote to the Royal Entry of King Philip IV and Queen Mariana in Madrid in 1649, where he over-ironizes exotic oil and incense as poetic means to apotheosis. The article shows how these poems are not just meant as criticism on Counter-Reformation Spain, but also served as a means of selfrepresentation, with self-scrutiny as literary strategy. Jan Six articulates criticism both of the literary hype of exotica in the Dutch Republic and of his own identity as drogist-dichter.

Application of lipases to regiospecific interesterification of exotic oils from an Amazonian area

Enzymatic interesterification may favor the development of lipid fractions from Amazonian oils with greater application potential. In this study, the Amazonian buriti oil and murumuru fat were subjected to enzymatic interesterification using two lipases in three different enzyme systems: one with a commercial lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosa, a second with the lipase produced by Rhizopus sp., and a third with a mixture of both lipases. The three enzyme systems were able to catalyze the reaction, but the enzymes showed different specificities. The commercial lipase was specific for unsaturated fatty acids, whereas the Rhizopus sp. lipase was specific for both unsaturated fatty acids and the positions sn -1 and sn -3 of the fatty acid on the triacylglycerol. The mixture of both lipases showed no synergistic effect: the results were intermediate between the two enzymes applied alone. Interesterification reduced the levels of trisaturated and triunsaturated triacylglycerols and increased the levels of diunsaturated-monosaturated and monounsaturated-disaturated triacylglycerols. The thermal melting behavior indicated the formation of a single endothermic region with more homogeneous triacylglycerols. The content of the bioactive β-carotene was preserved after the interesterification reaction with all three-enzyme systems. The interesterified lipids obtained, because of the characteristics of the oils, may be applied to the formulation of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Salinity effects on food habits in three coastal, rural villages in Bangladesh

AbstractSince shrimp farming started in Bangladesh in the 1970s, it has spread throughout the coastal region, increasing soil and water salinity levels. The water salinity in 2005 in the coastal districts of Khulna, Bagherat and Satkhira ranged from 0.3 to 20.7, 0.4 to 27.1 and 0.7 to 24.8 dS m−1, respectively, whereby it was highly saline for several months of the year. Water salinity above 2.5 dS m−1 is not suitable for irrigation, and may cause animal health problems. Irrigation with saline water may cause ion toxicity and osmotic stress, reducing plant growth and yield. Salinity has reduced the agro-biodiversity in the coastal regions of Bangladesh, and this paper investigates how these changes have impacted human food habits in the three coastal, rural villages Putia (Satkhira district), Srifaltala (Bagerhat district) and Hogolbunia (Khulna district). Fieldwork was conducted from July to December 2006 and Participatory Rural Appraisal methods including transect walks, key informant interviews, group discussions and personal interviews were carried out. In total, 121 respondents were interviewed and historical data from 1975 to 2006 were collected. For historical data, respondents aged above 50 years were sampled, but additional criteria such as socio-economic condition and farm location were applied to assure a sample representative for the population of the coastal areas. The sampled households had characteristics similar to the major part of Bangladeshi households (rural, agrarian based, regarding family size and food habits), and were thus representative of a broader cross-section of households in Bangladesh. As all sampled villages faced increasing salinity and spread of shrimp farming, they were representative of villages in the coastal areas. When salinity increased, the production of vegetables, seasonal fruits, animal species, eggs and milk declined. As the price of the mentioned animal commodities rose, cheaper commodities such as broilers, exotic and marine fish species and exotic oils were introduced. The decision on what to cultivate was also influenced by non-residents converting the farmers' land into shrimp ponds, increasing the salinity in the surroundings and killing the farmers' ducks. These agro-biodiversity changes caused reduced frequency of consumption of beef, goat, native chicken, egg, local freshwater fish, seasonal fruits, vegetables and milk, while broilers, exotic fish, exotic oils and marine fish species were increasingly consumed. Still, the total fish consumption declined. These changed food habits may lead to considerable negative health consequences for the rural, coastal populations.

Specialty oils: A hype?

Roland Verhe Vera Van Hoed During the last decade, consumers have become aware that vegetable oils are important parts of a healthy diet due to the health promoting effects of essential fatty acids, and beneficial effects of minor components such as tocopherols, sterols, squalene, and carotenoids. In addition, the market and the demand for functional foods and nutraceuticals has been largely expanded. It is also forecasted that producers of health promoting bioactives from oils will continue to search for additional resources and for efficient and sustainable processing techniques. Although commodity oils are rich sources of fatty acids and bioactives, processing, and refining cause losses in the nutritional value of the oils. Nevertheless, important functional ingredients can be isolated from side-streams during the refining1. Very recently, due to the increasing interest in “organic oils,” and the biodiversity in vegetable and fruit oils, new sources for edible oils and raw materials for cosmetics, especially cosmeceuticals, have been evaluated. These specialty oils from various resources and obtained by advanced processing and refining techniques (e.g., supercritical extraction), are introduced on the market as gourmet and health promoting oils2. Next to the beneficial health properties, these oils are characterized by their specific aroma and taste due to the specific origin and their minimal processing and refining steps. The nutritional value of these oils can be very high due to the presence of ω3-fatty acids and other essential fatty acids, ω3/ω6 ratio, high content of tocopherols, tocotrienols, sterols, antioxidants (polyphenols, squalene, carotenoids, and chlorophyll) 3. The majority of specialty oils are obtained by cold pressing from seeds, nuts, and fruits. Sometimes, specialty oils are produced from waste products from processing of grapes and berries, which leads to a reduction of the waste volumes to be disposed of, and on the contrary, to a valorisation of those waste streams4. In this way, grape seed oils and berry seed oils (cranberry, raspberry, blackberry, kiwi, and other) are now commercially available. Other marketed oils include avocado, camellia, oat, rice bran (extremely rich in γ-oryzanol), hemp, and pumpkin seed oils2. The majority of these oils are sold in fashionable small packages—drawing attention by labeling health promoting properties—and at high prices. These oils are looking very attractive for consumers searching for new taste and for healthy products, and break down the traditional paradigm of commodity oils. Due to their high prices, specialty oils are vulnerable to be adulterated with much cheaper vegetable (commodity) oils, which implies a professional fraud and a danger for consumers' health. Therefore, analytical methodologies to assess their authenticity must be available before these products are marketed. However, specialty oils have a number of disadvantages such as problematic oxidative stability, which is shortening the shelf life. After isolation, a mild refining should be applied involving water washing to remove bitter tasting components (phenolic compounds), disturbing dark colored components (chlorophyll, carotenoids, etc.) and gum deposits followed by a very mild deodorization5. Especially exotic oils obtained from nuts, seeds, and fruits from tropical and subtropical areas should be subjected to careful investigation on the presence of toxic compounds, allergens, and anti-nutritional agents6. In the cosmetic industry, adding specialty oils to the products and advertising this fact on the label attracts the consumers' attention. However, if no scientific literature exists to prove the positive effects on health or skin, this advertising is merely a sales argument without sufficient fundamental background. This background includes first of all, chemical analysis of the composition, completed with in vitro and in vivo studies of the positive and possible adverse health effects of these oils or their components. Such data is well documented for some cases, such as jojoba oil7, and is currently a subject of intensive study for the fruit seed oils, which recently came under attention. Specialty and gourmet oils are excellent additional sources for health promoting food, functional foods, and nutraceuticals, provided that they are readily available at moderate prices, show a high stability with minimal processing, possess an excellent taste and flavor and that they are carefully analyzed for hazardous agents. The danger is that they can be used as a selling argument creating hypes in a rapidly changing market. Roland Verhe Vera Van Hoed

Hot Oil and Gas Wells Can Be Stimulated Without Acids

Summary A revolutionary family of treating fluids designed for the stimulation of critical, hot, or exotic oil and gas wells has been developed through application of detailed chemical and engineering studies.1–3 Formulations based on the hydroxethylaminocarboxylic acid (HACA) family of chelating agents have now been used to successfully increase production of oil and gas from wells in a variety of different formations. Included in the field test matrixes were new and producing wells drilled into carbonates and sandstone formations. The temperatures of the wells treated ranged from 230 to 370°F (110 to 187°C) bottomhole static temperature (BHST). Because these formulations do not contain high concentrations of corrosive mineral or organic acids (the formulations are less acidic than carbonated beverages), very low corrosion rates of the tubulars can be achieved by application of small amounts of special, inexpensive corrosion inhibitors. The mild fluids also are highly retarded so that high-temperature carbonates can be stimulated and sensitive sandstone formations are not damaged. The fluids have reduced health, safety, and environmental (HSE) footprints because: They are much less toxic to mammals as well as to aquatic organisms than mineral acids or organic acids such as hydrochloric (HCl), hydrofluoric (HF), or formic acid. The fluids are returned to the surface at pH values between 5 and 7, and they frequently can be added to normal well production fluids without neutralization. Because of much lower corrosion rates for corrosion resistant alloys (CRAs), lowered concentrations of Ni and Cr will be in the well returns compared with conventional acids that also may contain antimony (as a corrosion inhibitor).

Miscellaneous exotic oils

AbstractThe main problems relating to olive production are described considering varieties, climatic influences and attacks by pests. Analytical data are presented on composition of fruit, oil and waste materials. A similar description is provided for rice bran, safflower, grapeseed and the oils derived from them. Olive oil quality is complicated in that three types of oil are produced: virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, and residue refined olive oil. The first is used mainly as a salad oil, the second for cooking and as a salad oil, and the third for cooking. The latter two oils also are used in preparation of canned foods (e.g., tuna, mackeral, sardine). Advantages in the use of olive oil come mainly from its composition that is very stable to autoxidation. The presence of a complex antioxidant mixture preserves the oil during storage. Problems in the prduction of olive oil arise from the rapid spoilage of the fruit due to its enzymatic content.

The essential oil industry of Australia

This industry is founded primarily on eucalyptus oils from several species. The more important minor endemic oils are those of Australian sandalwood and of two or three genera known as “tea-trees”. Various factors have prevented exploitation of other potentially valuable native oils. Among exotic oils, only that of lavender has been commercially produced.