Physicochemical Characterization of Cucurbita pepo L. (Cucurbitaceae) Seed Oil Obtained by Cold Organic Extraction

Background: African flora is full of many plant species used by populations for a long time as sources of food, timber, energy and remedies for various somatic or spiritual ailments. In tropical areas, there are many sources of vegetable oils available, but not exploited or not used optimally. Oilseeds are important sources of oils of food, industrial and pharmaceutical importance. Aim: The aim was carry out to determine some of the physicochemical characteristics of Cucurbita pepo seeds oil in order to promote its valorization. Results: After extraction of the oil by cyclohexane, we obtained a yield of 31.26 %. The study of physical parameters indicate that the oil is pure and belongs to the group of non-drying oils with values of 0.915 ± 0.01 and 1.468 ± 0.01 for density and refractive index respectively. This is confirmed by the results of chemical parameters study. Indeed the low values of the acid and peroxide index (respectively 0.41 ± 0.13 mg KOH/g oil and 8.92 ± 1.08 mEq O2 / kg oil) confirm the stability of the oil, which allows it to better resist oxidation. The value of the iodine index (88.15 ± 2.57 g iodine /100 g oil) shows that the oil is of the oleic type. The high value of the saponification index (191.67 ± 1.52 mg KOH/g) oil proves that the oil has long carbon chains. Conclusion: Based on these results, Cucurbita pepo seeds oil would be a good candidate in the food industry, phytomedicine and for the formulation of cosmetic or body care products.