Investigate the components and thermal behavior of milk thistle seed oil

Author(s)

Abstract
Milk thistle seed oil has recently been approved as a novel food resource. Despite its growing popularity, there is limited information on the constituents and properties of this oil. This study aims to compare the lipid composition, nutraceutical content, antioxidant activity, and thermal properties of milk thistle seed oils extracted through different methods (using hexane/ethanol or by cold press) from Iranian milk thistle seeds. The findings reveal that the extraction method does not significantly affect the fatty acid and triacylglycerol profiles. The main fatty acids identified are linoleic acid (45.83–46.41%) and oleic acid (30.12–30.59%), with oleic-linoleic-linoleic (OLL, ~20–21%) being the most prevalent triacylglycerol, followed by linoleic-linoleic-linoleic (LLL, ~18%), palmitic-oleic-linoleic (POL, ~15%), and palmitic-linoleic-linoleic (PLL, ~11%). Conversely, the extraction method significantly influences the minor component content and antioxidant activity of the oil. Ethanol-extracted oil contains less total vitamin E and sterols but more tocotrienols and exhibits stronger free radical scavenging capacity. Additionally, cold-pressed oil displays a more complex melting profile compared to solvent-extracted oil. These results are valuable for the quality assessment and industrial production of milk thistle seed oil.

Keywords
Milk thistle seed oil , Thermal analysis , Components, Vitamin E

Cite this paper
Zahra Amini, Adib Azizian, Ahmad Eyvazi, Investigate the components and thermal behavior of milk thistle seed oil , SCIREA Journal of Food. Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2024 | PP. 1-19. 10.54647/food550062

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