STUDIES ON THE COMPOSITION-OF IPIL-IPIL (LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA ) SEED OIL

Abstract

Studies were carried out to characterize the oil and seed meal of ipil-ipil ( Leucaena leucocephala seed. The seed contains 6.7% oil and 31.6% protein on dry weight basis. Physical and chemical characteristics of crude oil were studied and the results indicated that the oil can be used for edible purposes after refining. The GLC analysis revealed that the oil is composed of palmitic acid ( 15.7% ), palmitoleic acid (0.2%), stearic acid (3.6% ), oleic acid (15.5% ), linoleic acid (63.2%) linolenic acid (0.4%), arachidic acid (0.5%), and lignoceric acid (0.9%).