Physicochemical Analysis and Functional Properties of Sponge Gourd (Luffa cylindrica Linn.) Seed Oil Obtained from Owo, Ondo State Nigeria

Abstract

Physicochemical analysis and Functional properties of powder and oil of shelled, deshelled and mixture of shelled and deshelled seeds of Luffa cylindrica (sponge gourd) were determined using standard analytical procedure. The Functional properties of powder are water absorption capacity ranged from 10.37% to 12.54%, oil absorption capacity shows Seed_-DS with the highest oil absorption capacity of 14.10%, Seed_-S/DS (12.87%) and the lowest recorded from Seed_-S (11.56%), The foaming capacity of the Luffa cylindrica (Linn.) seed powder are 9.03%, 15.56% and 11.50%and foaming stability are 1.62%, 3.30% and 1.73% for Shelled Seed (Seed_-S), Deshelled Seed (Seed_-DS) and Shelled/Deshelled Seed (Seed_-S/DS) respectively, emulsion capacity and stability of the Luffa cylindrica (Linn.) seed powder ranges from 27.13% to 41.98%. The Physicochemical analysis are percentage oil yield from Shelled Seed Oil(Oil_-S), Deshelled Seed Oil(Oil_-DS), and Shelled/Deshelled Seed Oil (Oil_-S/DS) are 26.63%, 42.80% and 31.33% respectively. pH of the Luffa cylindrica (Linn.) seed oilranges from6.40 to 6.60 with the highest value recorded from Oil_-S/DS and the lowest value recorded from Oil_-DS, specific gravity of Oil_-S, Oil_-DS, and Oil_-S/DS are 0.70, 0.79 and 0.75 respectively, refractive index of the extracted oil obtained ranges from 1.32 to 1.45, acid value of Oil_-S, Oil_-DS, and Oil_-S/DS are 2.38 mg KOH/g, 2.91 mg KOH/g and 2.70 mg KOH/g respectively, saponification value of Oil_-S, Oil_-DS, and Oil_-S/DS are 148.90 mg KOH/g, 161.50mg KOH/g and 154.21 mg KOH/g respectively, iodine value ranges from77.97mgI/g to 86.96 mgI/g .