Abstract
► This study was conducted on the properties of the oil extracted from Washingtonia filifera seeds. The oil content of the seeds, the acidity, the peroxide value, the saponification value, the iodine value of the oil were 16.30%, 0.41%, 7.60mequiv O2/kg of oil, 191.63 (mg KOH/g) and 67.33 (g/100g of oil), respectively. ► Oleic acid (40.60%), lauric acid (17.87%), linoleic acid (16.26%), myristic (11.43%) and palmitic (9.23%) were the dominant fatty acids in the W. filifera seed oil. LaMM (11.97%), followed by LaMP (11.16%), LaPO (10.57%) and LaLaM (8.08%) were the abundant triacylglycerols (La: lauric, L: linoleic, O: oleic, P: palmitic, M: myristic). ► The DSC melting curves reveal that: melting point=2.25°C and melting enthalpy = 82.34 J/g W. filifera seed oil showed some absorbance in the UV-B and UV-C ranges. ► This present study shows that the W. filifera is a promising seed oil crop. Regarding it particular features and other desirable physicochemical characteristics, the value of this seed oil in cosmetic and food industries may be justified.
Characteristics of seeds and oil extracted from Washingtonia filifera seeds are evaluated. The percentage composition of the W. filifera seeds is: ash 1.37%, oil 16.30%, protein content 3.46%, total carbohydrate 77.19% and moisture 3.22%. The major nutrients (mg/100g of seeds) found in the seeds are: potassium (67.33), magnesium (34.35), calcium (187.85) and phosphorus (23.26). Physicochemical properties of the oil include: iodine value 67.33g/100g of oil; saponification value, 191.63mg KOH/g of oil; refractive index (25°C), 1.469; unsaponifiable matter, 0.83%; acidity, 0.41%; p-anisidine value, 0.87; peroxide value, 7.60mEq O2/kg of oil; carotenoid content 14.8mg/100g and the chlorophyll content=0.13mg/100g. W. filifera seed oil shows some absorbance in the UV-B and UV-C ranges with potential use as a broad spectrum UV protectant. The oil contains high levels of oleic acid (40.60%) followed by lauric acid (17.87%), linoleic acid (16.26%), myristic acid (11.43%) and palmitic acid (9.23%). The triacylglycerols (TAGs) with equivalent carbon number ECN 44 (20.47%) are dominant, followed by TAGs ECN 46 (16.71%), TAGs ECN 42 (15.43%) and TAGs ECN 48 (15.41%). The DSC melting curves reveal that: melting point=2.25 °C and melting enthalpy=82.34J/g. γ-Tocotrienol is the major tocol (72%) with the rest being δ-tocotrienol and α-tocotrienol. The results of the present analytical study show that W. filifera seed oil could be used in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food products.