Studies on marigold seed oil and seed meal

Abstract

The fixed oil (26%) of the seeds of Marigold (Calendula officinalis) locally known as “Gul-e-Ashrafi” growing around the laboratories, was studied for its physico-chemical properties. Fatty acid composition of the seed oil as determined by gaschromatography and UV-spectroscopy showed the presence of lauric (3.90%), myristic (3.58%), palmitic (14.96%), stearic (10.13%), palmito-oleic (4.55%), oleic (16.26%), linoleic (39.45%) and linolenic (7.15%) acids. In the seed oil, conjugated acid is present to the extent of 4.5% whereas the percentage of non-conjugated acid (linolenic acid) is only 2.65%. The residual meal after the extraction of oil was also studied for its proteins (18%) and amino acids composition.