Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of roasting on the nutritional and cosmetic potential of oil extracted from kernels of C. lanatus, which is one of the most widespread Cucurbitaceae species in Sub-Saharan Africa. The dried kernels (DKO) and roasted kernels (RKO) oils were extracted by cold press and hot using hexane. The physicochemical properties of these oils were evaluated. The results showed that C. lanatus roasted kernels were important sources of lipids (40.12 %) and protein (37.50 %). Oil extracted by press was of high quality, compared to that extracted by hexane. The study of the roasting effect revealed that the physicochemical characteristics of DKO and RKO oils were significantly different, with the exception of their specific gravity (≈ 0.9) and their refractive index (≈ 1.47). The absorbance of the two oils decreased in the range of UV-A and UV-B wavelengths. Both oils had low oxalates content (≈ 0.05 %) and were free of phytates and cyanogenic glycosides. All these features suggest that the roasted kernels oil of the C. lanatus could be used in food and cosmetic industries.

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