Physicochemical Properties, Fatty Acid Composition, and the Effect of Heating on the Reduction of Cyclopropenoid Fatty Acids on Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) Crude Seed Oil

The baobab seed oil has been consumed by humans due to its medicinal and nutrient values for many years. However, the consumption of baobab seed oil has been perceived by different communities as a health risk caused by cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPFAs), which are carcinogenic ingredients present in the oil. This study investigated the physicochemical properties and fatty acid profile of baobab crude seed oil collected from semiarid areas in Tanzania and determined the effects of heating on the reduction of CPFAs. The baobab seed crude oil was extracted by Soxhlet using n-hexane, and the fatty acid composition of the baobab seed crude oil was determined by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). Since CPFAs are resistant to lower temperatures, the effect of heating on the CPFA content of baobab crude seed oil was studied at 150°C, 200°C, and 250°C. The A. digitata crude seed oil was found to contain mainly twelve essential fatty acids and two different CPFAs. The most abundant fatty acids were palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid in all the baobab population hotspots occurring in Tanzania. There was no significant difference in most physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition across the different semiarid areas in Tanzania. The major breakdown of CPFAs occurs at 200°C, and that would be the optimal temperature recommended for the refining process of the baobab crude oil. The study recommended refining of the baobab oil at higher temperatures ranging from 200 - 250°C as the best way of reducing CPFAs.