Physico-chemical Characteristics of Washingtonia robusta Fruit Oil

The fruit seed kernel oil from Washingtonia (W. robusta) locally in Aswan governorate, Egypt were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, and composition of fatty acids, tocopherols and phytosterols. The contents of carbohydrates, fiber, protein and ash for W. robusta palm fruits were 47.00, 6.50, 5 and 4.2%, respectively. The oil content in the seed kernels was 32.80%. The extracted oil had as refractive index (at 20^oC) 1.46, specific gravity (at 20^oC) 0.92, colour (yellow, 3.5; red 0.09), average iodine value (g of I/100g oil) 87.68; acid value (% oleic acid) 0.22%; saponification value (191.66 mg of KOH/g oil; unsaponifiable matters 0.70, the oxidation stability was 30. The major fatty acids detected in oil were noted to be oleic acid (64.80%) followed by palmitic acid (14.40%), linolenic acid (5.20%), arachidic acid (5.10%), linoleic acid (4.50), stearic acid (4.30) and myrstic acid (1.70%). The observed data showed that the total saturated fatty acids 25.50%, whereas the amounts of total unsaturated fatty acids 74.50%.The content of total tocopherols in oil was 97.4 mg/100g), with α-tocophero l16.0, γ-tocophero l31.4, and δ-tocopherol (50 mg/100g). β-sitosterol (11.331 mg/100 g) the main phytosterols in oil. The results of this study revealed that the Washingtonia robusta fruit could be explained as a potential source of high-oleic oil for the local oil industry as well as the seeds is a nutritive value.