EVALUATION OF THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND PROXIMATE PARAMETERS OF DELONIX REGIA SEEDS AND SEED OIL
Abstract
Delonix regia commonly known as Royal Poinciana is a flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. Seed oils represent one of the largest key materials that can be obtained from biomass and cheaply processed raw materials. The characteristics of oils from different sources depend mainly on its compositions and no oil from a single source can be suitable for all purposes. (Tura, A. M. et.al., 2015). The utility of any particular oil depends upon chemical and physicochemical properties of the oil.
The aim of this work is to determine the Physicochemical and Proximate composition of Delonix regia seed and seed oil. The result of the physicochemical analysis is shown to be; Saponification value (143.80±1.01mg/KOH/g), Acid value (0.48±0.03mg/KOH/g), Iodine value (41.80±0.54mgI2/100g), Peroxide value (18.80±0.21mEq/kg), Density (0.943±0.00g/ml), Refractive index (1.49±0.00) and Specific gravity (0.743±0.00) for seed oil. The result of the proximate analysis shown to be; Moisture (4.73±0.13%), Fat (49.93±0.39%), Ash (1.79±0.39%), Protein (8.91±0.25%), and Carbohydrate (34.67±0.04) for the seed oil. This analysis showed that Delonix regia seed oils are rich source of carbohydrate, fat and also has good Saponification value in oil indicates that the sample has shorter fatty acid chain and lower molecular weight.
From this research finding, it is recommended that the seed oil of Delonix regia is of nutritional and industrially important. The oil could be used as a substitute for other oils or blended with other vegetable oils and hence the use of the oil in soap and shampoo industries should be encouraged.
KEYWORDS: Delonix regia, Physicochemical parameters, proximate parameters, Seed oil.
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