Extraction and Physicochemical Composition of Irvingiagabonensis Almond Oil: A Potential Healthy Source of Lauric-Myristic Oil

Abstract

Irvingia gabonensis is a non-timber forest product, whose fruit contains an edible fat-rich kernel. This fat can be used not only in human food but also as a source of raw materials in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. This work aimed to provide a physicochemical description of components present in the almonds and butter of I. gabonensis. Oil was extracted by soxhlet and hot-pressing from almonds. Cryo-MEB analyses allowed the observation of oleosomes in which the triglycerides of almonds are located. The triglyceride profile and the fatty acids profile of the butter were determined by gas chromatography, and a statistical analysis was performed. The thermal properties of oil were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis. The results revealed that oil bodies have sizes ranging from 30 to 60 µm. With a 63.8 ± 0.2% fat content, I. gabonensis is composed of 98.4% triglycerides. The hot-pressing yield is 47.9%. The main triglycerides are essentially made up of lauric (38.5 ± 0.1%) and myristic (51.9 ± 0.2%) acids. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the butter melted at 43.4 °C and decomposed at 415.2 °C. These results show that I. gabonensis butter may be proposed as a good source of lauric acid for food and nutrition.

Food Quality and Safety: Advances in Analytical Methods and Applications

“…[54] provided a comprehensive review of the use of deep eutectic solvents (DES) for the extraction of several bioactive compounds, highlighting their advantages over conventional solvents, including their lower toxicity, higher eco-friendliness and biodegradability, and their potential for use in safe extraction processes and in applications in the food sector. Analyses of oil extraction procedures and extracts obtained from them are presented, focusing either on Irvingia gabonensis, a tree which can be found in the forests of central and western Africa [55]; Moringa oleifera, a plant native to India and Pakistan but that is nowadays widespread in the tropical and equatorial zones of the Earth [56]; or Amaranthus cruentus, a plant cultivated in many countries on the American, Asian and African continents [57]. Ref.…”