Oil Quality Characteristics and Effects of TemperatureVariations on Some Functional Properties of Horse Eye (Dioclea reflexa) Seed Flour.

Abstract

This study is the second of two publications that investigates the nutritional composition of horse eye (Dioclea reflexa) seed in terms of some functional and physicochemical properties of the seed and the seed-oil. The functional properties of the seed flour revealed that the water absorption capacity (WAC) was 94.67 ±0.05%, conductivity 1856 us/cm. The effects of temperature variations on swelling and solubility powers in % were (159.12 ±0.02 and 8.00 ±0.10), (157.48± 0.10 and 7.92 ±0.50), (153.88 ±0.20 and 5.36 ±0.06) and (129.96 ±0.40 and 2.12 ±0.02) at 65 o C, 75 o C, 85 o C and 95 o C respectively. The physicochemical properties showed specific gravity to be 0.9456g/cm, saponification value (197.88 ±0.20mgKOH/g), iodine value (152.44 ±0.10gI 2 /100g), peroxide value (9.97±0.05meq/kg) and acid value (6.934 ±0.10mgKOH/g). The vitamin C content of the seed-oil was found to be 4.98 ±0.50%. The results of this research work revealed that Dioclea reflexa seed and seed-oil could be a good replacement to the ever increasing demand for conventional oils and flours after proper refining.