Nwokonkwo, DC; Nwaolisa, SU; Odo, HA
The physicochemical analysis of the seed oils of Cussonia bateri and Brassica juncea (mustard) was investigated and compared. Dried pulverized seeds of the plant seeds were extracted using normal hexane (n-hexane). The yield of the oil from Cussonia bateri was 27.84 % while that from Brassica juncea was 33.1 %. The chemical properties of Cussonia bateri gave iodine value of 119.54 mg, saponification value of 106.28 mg, peroxide value of 20 mg, acid value of 1.4 % and free fatty acid of 2.8 % of which linoleic acid was 60.15 %, oleic acid 15.38 %, palmitic acid 12.42 %, stearic acid 10.59 %, linolenic 1.34 % and myristic acid 0.11%. The iodine, saponification, peroxide and acid values of the oil from Brassica juncea were 125.3 mg, 173mg, 5.8 mg and 3.9 % respectively; the oil contained 0.78% lauric acid, 0.39% myristoleic acid, 3.78% palmitic acid, 23.47 % stearic acid, 28.48% oleic acid, 19.87 % linoleic acid and 23.22 % linolenic acid. The oil from Cussonia bateri oil was semidrying compared to the oil from Brassica juncea which was a drying oil. The oils could be used in confectionaries, cosmetics, pharmaceauticals, food supplements, varnishes, oil paints etc. © Research India Publications.