ISHS Acta Horticulturae 756: International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants
MUNGONGO COLD PRESSED OIL (SCHINZIOPHYTON RAUTANENII): A NEW NATURAL PRODUCT WITH POTENTIAL COSMETIC APPLICATIONS |
| Authors: | H.R. Juliani, A.R. Koroch, J.E. Simon, C. Wamulwange |
| Keywords: | manketi, fatty acid, seed oil, chemical composition, quality control |
| Abstract:
Mungongo tree (Schinziophyton rautanenii, Euphorbiaceae) occurs naturally in Southern and Western Zambia, where it is locally known as mungongo and is called manketi in Angola, Namibia, Botswana, western Zimbabwe and northern Mozambique. Mungongo is a deciduous short-boled tree reaching 15 m in height. The edible oil which is extracted from mungongo seeds is used locally in cooking, food preparation and personal care products. The seed oil has applications in modern cosmetics and personal care products due to its healing and nurturing properties, such as a body rub during dry winter months or as a skin cleanser and moisturizer. The objective of this paper was to study the chemistry and quality of mungongo seed oil from Zambia, and explore potential new uses and applications of this ‘new oil’ for the cosmetic industry. The edible oil is expressed by cold pressure from seeds. According to the extraction method and efficiency of unit employed, yields of 28% of oil (traditional hand press) to 38% of oil (hydraulic press) can be achieved. Mungongo seed oils from Zambian samples showed a light yellow oil, with the refractive index of 1.4830, acid values 1.6%, the peroxide value 10 (mg/kg), and the solidification point of -7°C, suggesting that this oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Mungongo seed oil composition showed that these oils were rich in elaeostearic acid (18:3) (25%), linoleic acid (18:2) (37%), oleic acid (18:1) (15%), palmitic and stearic acid (18:0) (8–9%, respectively). In Zambia alone, the estimated production of about 3000 MT of seed would yield around 840 MT of oil. This would represent a modest product supply for a niche oil product and simultaneously have a high impact for the local and regional communities. As the land where the Mungongo trees are indigenous is not suitable for agricultural exploitation and all the nuts are collected from the wild, the development of additional uses and external markets for this under-recognized oilseed could benefit the rural communities and provide a new export product from Africa and a new ingredient for the global cosmetic industry. | |
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