Physicochemical characteristics and nutritional value of safflower oil: A potential sustainable crop for Egypt

Background: The Increasing demand for sustainable and economical non-traditional edible oils, as alternatives to common oils is pivotal to bridge the edible oils gap, coupled with negative impacts of climate change on the agroecological settings for common oilseed crop productivity. Safflower, being one of the fast-growing medicinal oilseeds crops rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as the “king of linoleic acid”, exhibits resilience to adverse environmental conditions such as high temperatures, drought, salinity, and marginal environments. Aims: This study aimed to comprehensively assess the physicochemical characteristics and lipid nutritional indices of safflower oil to validate its potential for expanded cultivation in Egypt. Materials and Methods: Safflower oil was extracted from seeds of two spineless varieties cultivated in Egypt. The oil was subjected to proximate analysis, physicochemical characterization, fatty acid profile determination, and α-tocopherol content analysis. Additionally, a frying stability test was carried out for safflower oil and its blends with soybean oil in different ratios, monitoring changes in free fatty acid, peroxide value, and total polar compounds. Lipid nutritional indices were calculated to assess the oil’s health-promoting properties. Results: Safflower oil exhibited similar proximate composition and physicochemical characteristics to sunflower oil. The fatty acid profile of safflower oil was comparable to sunflower oil, with a lower oleic acid content and a higher linoleic acid content. Furthermore, safflower oil demonstrated satisfactory stability during the frying process. Lipid nutritional indices calculated based on the fatty acid profile revealed that safflower oil is a valuable source of ω-6 fatty acids. The oil exhibited favorable values for atherogenicity index (AI), thrombogenicity index (TI), hypocholesterolemic / hypercholesterolemic (HH), health-promoting index (HPI), and possessed strong antioxidant properties due to its high α-tocopherol content. Conclusion: The findings of this study support the potential of safflower oil as a promising non-traditional edible oil, suitable for expanded cultivation in Egypt. Its favorable nutritional profile and stability make it a valuable addition to the dietary landscape. Keywords: Carthamus tinctorius L., safflower oil, edible oil gap, lipid nutritional indices, frying stability, non-traditional edible oils.