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Composition, Physical Properties and Drying Characteristics of Seed Oil of Momordica charantia Cultivated in Sri Lanka

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Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society

Abstract

Karawila (Momordica charantia), also known as bitter gourd, is widely used as a food and a medicine in Asian countries. Representative samples of the seeds of the most abundant cultivar (MC43) in Sri Lanka were collected. The kernel represented 60 ± 4.7% of the seed by dry weight basis. The oil content of the dry kernel was 40.45 ± 3.12%. The seed oil was rich in α-eleosteric acid (50.04 ± 4.80%) and three other geometrical isomers of 9,11,13-octadecatrienoic acid that constituted 6.55%. The acid value, the saponification value and the iodine value were 2.73 ± 0.876, 190.70 ± 1.82 mg/g and 115.96 ± 3.46 cg/g, respectively. The set-to-touch drying time of 3 h observed for the seed oil of MC43 was significantly less than that of linseed oil (13 h). The presence of a high amount of conjugated octadecatrienoic acids, low acid value, high saponification value, moderate iodine value and the low set-to-touch drying time are promising indicators of the potential of karawila seed oil as a good drying oil for the paint and coating industry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

    M. A. B. Prashantha, J. K. Premachandra & A. D. U. S. Amarasinghe

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  1. M. A. B. Prashantha
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  2. J. K. Premachandra
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  3. A. D. U. S. Amarasinghe
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Correspondence to A. D. U. S. Amarasinghe.

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Prashantha, M.A.B., Premachandra, J.K. & Amarasinghe, A.D.U.S. Composition, Physical Properties and Drying Characteristics of Seed Oil of Momordica charantia Cultivated in Sri Lanka. J Am Oil Chem Soc 86, 27–32 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-008-1319-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-008-1319-6

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