COLD-PRESSED HAZELNUT OIL: A FUNCTIONAL EDIBLE OIL WITH VALUABLE NUTRITIONAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Cold-pressed hazelnut oil is gaining attention as a premium edible oil due toits high nutritional value and the preservation of natural bioactivecompounds during extraction. This study investigates the physicochemicaland nutritional properties of cold-pressed Corylus avellana oil, with anemphasis on quality indicators such as acid value, peroxide value, iodinevalue, saponification value, unsaponifiable matter, density, and refractiveindex. Advanced techniques including GC-FID and HPLC were employed toanalyze the fatty acid profile, sterol content, and tocopherol levels. Resultsdemonstrate that the oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, primarilyoleic acid (C18:1), and contains significant amounts of β-sitosterol and α-tocopherol. These findings highlight the oil’s nutritional potential andfunctional value, supporting its use in health-oriented food formulations. Thedata offer a robust analytical basis for quality assessment and productdevelopment in the edible oil industry.