Physical and chemical characterization of roasted cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) flour and oil.

Abstract

Proximate and physico chemical properties of roasted cashew nut (Anarcadium occidentale) flour and oil were investigated. The result showed that moisture (5.90 %), crude fat (42.9 %), crude protein (26.1 %), crude fibre (3.11 %) and carbohydrate (19.0 %). The physico chemical properties of roasted cashew nut oil were as follow; colour (yellow), refractive index (1.460), specific gravity (0.964), acid value (11.2 mgKOH/g), saponification value (139 mgKOH/g), iodine value (42.1 mg iodine/100g) and free fatty acid (4.70 %). This is an indication that the oil is non-drying, edible and may not be useful for soap making. The fatty acid values were: myristic acid (0.07 %), palmitic acid (12.06 %), palmitoleic acid (0.29 %), stearic acid (9.05 %), oleic acid (58.7 %), linoleic acid (18.9%), linolenic acid (0.12 %), arachidic acid (0.18 %), behenic acid (0.14 %) and lignoceric acid (0.40 %). Oleic acid was the highly concentrated while linoleic acid was the least concentrated. The percentage oil yield makes the nut a good source of oil. The total saturated fatty acid was 21.6 % while the total unsaturated fatty acid was 78.1%. It is an indication that the oil is economically viable.