Comparative Studies on Some Physicochemical Properties of Baobab, Vegetable, Peanut and Palm Oils

Abstract

Industrial and nutritional processes have increased the demands for oil and this in turn has led to the search for oils from different types of seeds. It is in this vein that baobab seed oil was extracted, analyzed and some of it physicochemical properties compared with those of vegetable, peanut and palm oils. The percentage yield, iodine value, acid value, peroxide value, moisture, free fatty acids and gossypol content of the oils were determined. The results show that baobab seed oil has quality comparable with those of commercial oil and it has great nutritional and industrial potentials. It is therefore recommended that more research be undertaken for this abundant source of natural nutritious oil.