BAOBAB (ADANSONIA DIGITATA L.) SEED OIL: COMPOSITION, BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND EMERGING INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) native to sub-Saharan Africa, is a multipurpose African tree well known for its nutritional and medicinal value. While the fruit pulp has gained global recognition in the food industry, the seeds and their extracted oil remain an underutilized resource that has great commercial potential in the cosmetic industry, biofuel and pharmaceutical sector. This review focuses on combining previous scientific knowledge on baobab seed oil, focusing on its extraction methods, physicochemical properties, bioactive composition, biological activities and industrial applications. The oil can be obtained through various methods including mechanical pressing, solvent extraction and supercritical CO2 extraction under optimized conditions with yields depending on the method used. The oil is mainly comprised of oleic acid, palmitic acid and linoleic acid together with minor constituents such as tocopherols and phytosterols. Previous studies suggest antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and skin barrier supportive properties positioning the oil as a potential excipient or functional ingredient in topical and cosmetic application. Future studies should include controlled clinical trials, toxicology and standardization to support regulatory characterization of the baobab seed oil.