Determining the Quality and Storage Stability of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Seed Oil with Accelerated Shelf-Life Approach

Abstract

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a fruit that grows in most tropical and subtropical regions. It has 52% aril, consisting of 78% juice which is used as; juice, molasses, jam, wine, and dried kernels. Potential health benefits increase the demand for the fruit as well as its products. Pomegranate seeds, which consist of approximately 10% of the whole fruit, are a by-product of the juice and juice using products containing nutraceutical functional components such as sterols and punicic acid. Pomegranate seed oil is considered a healthy alternative source of oils, and its production is a valorization process since it is the by-product that usually goes to waste. In the present study, pomegranate seeds were used for oil extraction using the cold solvent extraction method. Oil samples were then taken to the Schaal oven treatment in order to determine changes due to storage. Oil samples were tested for 14 days of total storage at their 1st,3rd, 7th, and 14th days for the oxidation tests, colour, fatty acid composition, and Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis. Data were tested for significance by using statistical analysis. The results indicated that oxidative stability of pomegranate seed oil was decreased by increasing storage time. The studied techniques used in this paper can be valuable processors to monitor the oxidative stability of oils with storage time and evaluate their acceptance on the market.