Biochemical characterization of Mustard Oil (Brassica campestris L.) with special reference to its fatty acid composition

ABSTRACT: Edible vegetable oils are the chief source of nutritionally required fatty acids in human diet. Mustard oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, coconut oil and groundnut oil are among the edible vegetable oils mostly consumed in India. However, none of these oils alone provide many of the lipid soluble nutrients as per the recommendation of health agencies. Mustard oil is considered to be an oil that has low saturated fat as compared to other cooking oils. It is basically consist of oleic acid, erucic acid and linoleic acid. It is also loaded with essential vitamins. Mammalian cells have evolved to de-saturate and elongate α-linolenic acid (ALNA), an omega-3 fatty acid, into eicosapentanoic acid (ω-3) and the longer docosahexanoic acid (ω-3) when the ω-6/ω-3 ratio is low. Excess ω-6 fatty acids in diet saturate the enzymes and prevent the conversion of ALNA into longer forms. The optimal ω? 6/ω-3 ratios that have been estimated to be 2:1 to 3:1 are about four times lower than the current intake. Health agencies, therefore, recommend that human diet should contain more ω-3 fatty acids. Further, studies on the fatty acid composition of oils claiming health benefits have shown that these oils contain lower amount of saturated fatty acids as compared to the unsaturated fatty acids. In the present study, the samples were analyzed for fatty acids, free fatty acids, and peroxide value, iodine number, saponification number were determined according to the standard procedures.