Physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity and phyto-nutritional composition of cold and hot pressed coconut oils

Abstract

Cold and hot pressed (CP and HP) coconut oils were subjected to physicochemical, antioxidant, fatty acid profile, vitamin composition and phytosterol analyses using standard analytical procedures. From the studies, both oils were soluble in non -polar solvent and liquid at room temperature. Hot pressed (HP) oil had a higher peroxide value, iodine value and saponification value while cold pressed oil had a higher free fatty acid and acid value. The antioxidant activity revealed that cold pressed oil had a better ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) than the hot pressed oil. The major fatty acids (%) found in both oil extracts were lauric acid (49.29 and 47.83), myristic acid (17.01 and 16.33), palmitic acid (9.53 and 9.94), capric acid (6.39 and 7.72) and caprylic acid (5.45 and 5.77) for cold and hot pressed oils respectively. Hot pressed oil had higher phytosterol content (102.79 mg/100g) however, the major phytosterol in both oils were β-sitosterol, Δ-5-avenasterol and stigmasterol. Vitamins A, D, E and K were present in trace amount in both oil extracts. Hot pressed oil had a slightly better physicochemical characteristic and phyto-nutritional composition while cold pressed oil had a better antioxidant property. Considering the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity and phyto-nutritional composition of cold and hot pressed coconut oils, their use in nutraceuticals and other industrial purposes should be encouraged.

Preliminary investigation of Ciprofloxacin-loaded microparticles for the treatment of bone diseases using coconut oil and shea butter

“…The ciprofloxacin-loaded microparticulate formulation prepared from the shea butter and cold-pressed coconut oil had the highest activity against S. aureus. This may have resulted from the cold-pressed oil having undamaged lauric and capric acid, which confer antimicrobial properties on the oil [34][35][36] alternatively because the phospholipid profile and fatty acid composition of soy and egg lecithin vary [37]. Antimicrobial lipids have been acknowledged to have antibacterial properties ever since Dr Robert Koch et al demonstrated in the late 1880s that fatty acids, a significant class of antimicrobial lipids, prevented the proliferation of the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which causes anthrax [38].…”

Comparative sunscreen and stability studies of shea butter from Nigeria

“…The variations in the sunscreen properties of the shea butter in the presence study can be attributed to the variations in the tocopherol and triterpenes contents. This is because studies have shown that variations in the phytochemical and physico-chemical composition of plants influence its medicinal properties [18,19].…”