Evaluation of the properties of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) tuber oil

Abstract

Non-drying oil extracted from the tuber of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) of Nigerian origin has been analysed for its physical and chemical constants, lipid classes and fatty acid components of the lipid classes. Triglycerides constitute 95% of the lipid classes while polar lipids constitute the remaining 5%. The fatty acid component in the triglycerides of the yellow nutsedge tuber showed individual unsaturated acids to be: oleic, 75·72 ± 0·20%; linoleic, 11·64 ± 0·17%; linolenic, 0·64 ± 0·1%; and saturated fatty acids to be: palmitic, 10·21 ± 0·15%; stearic, 1·47 ± 087% and arachidic, 0·32 ± 0·04%. Percentages of individual fatty acid in the polar lipid were found to be: oleic, 46·9 ± 0·3%; linoleic, 35·3 ± 0·3%; linolenic, 2·6 ± 0·1%; palmitic, 12·4 ± 0·2%; stearic, 2·8 ± 0·1% and a trace amount of arachidic acid. The similarities of the yellow nutsedge oil, in some of these characteristics, to some edible vegetable oils of economic importance are discussed. © 1988.