Physico-Chemical and Nutritional Studies of <i>Terminalia belerica</i> Roxb. Seed Oil and Seed Kernel

Abstract

Oil was extracted from Terminalia belerica Roxb. seed kernel by solvent extraction process. The whole seed contained 12.28 % oil on dry basis. The physico-chemical properties of the oil were determined. Moisture, ash and crude fibre contents of the seed kernel were found to be 8. 43, 2.54, and 8.78% respectively. The refractive index, co-efficient of viscosity, specific gravity, and energy of activation of the oil were found to be 1.28, 403.6 millipoise at 30°C, 0.93 and 6.97 k.cal/mole respectively. The oil was found to be non-drying. Iodine value, acid value, peroxide value, saponification value, saponification equivalent, ester value, unsaponifiable matter, acetyl value, Reichert-Meissel value, Polenske value, free fatty acids as oleic acid and cholesterol content of the oil were recorded as 107, 3.69, 3.14, 189.24, 296.44, 185.55, 1.24%, 3.78, 0.719, 0.945, 0.87% and 26.59 mg per 100 g oil, respectively. The oil was qualitative and quantitative analysed for fatty acid composition by TLC and GLC. The results showed that the fatty acids of the oil had chain length between C₁₄ to C₂₂. The oil contained 17.70% myristic acid, 21.6% palmitic acid, 45.67% oleic acid and 14.93% stearic acid. The whole kernel was analyzed for some nutrients and minerals. The kernel contained 22.57 and 8.38% total lipid and protein respectively. It also contained 0.19mg, 0.45mg, 0.79g and 1.1mg of vitamin B₁, B₂, C and A respectively per 100g of kernel. Ca, Mg, K, Na, P, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu were found to be 0.3, 0.02, 0.2, 0.2, 0.01%; 23, 1, 12 and 12 ppm respectively in kernel and 0.12, 0.05, 1.15, 0.18, 0.45%; 204, 4, 54 and 50 ppm respectively in oil.

Key words: T. belerica seed oil and kernel, physico-chemical behaviour, micronutrients, fatty acid profile, GLC.  

doi: 10.3329/jbs.v15i0.2211  

J. bio-sci. 15: 117-126, 2007