Characterization of Laurel Fruit Oil from Madeira Island, Portugal

• Published in: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society Vol. 82; no. 12; pp. 863 - 868
• Main Authors: Castilho, P.C, Costa, M. do C, Partidario, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer‐Verlag 01-12-2005; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; chemical composition; Edible oils; Fat industries; fatty acid composition; Fatty acids; Folk medicine; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; fruit oil; Fruits; FTIR; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GC‐MS; Laurus; Laurus novocanariensis; Laurus spp; Madeira laurel oil; Olea; Olive oil; Physical properties; plant biochemistry; plant fats and oils; Vegetable oils; Portugal; Europe; Madeira (Island); Fruit; fruit oil; Laurel; Spice; Lipids; Fatty acids; Characterization; Oils and fats industry; GC-MS; Oil; Laurus spp; FTIR; Madeira laurel oil
• ISSN: 0003-021X; 1558-9331
• DOI: 10.1007/s11746-005-1156-4

The fixed oil extracted from Laurus spp. fruit from Madeira Island, Portugal, is used in local traditional medicine for a wide variety of health complaints. Physical properties, density and refractive index, as well as the TAG FA composition, sterols, and waxes were determined. The oil was found to have an unusually high content of volatiles (ca. 10%), with trans‐ocimene and germacrene D predominating. Oleic (30%) and linoleic (20%) acids were the main unsaturated FA, whereas lauric (18%) and palmitic (up to 22.5%) acids were the main saturated FA in the neutral lipid fraction. The oil had a sterol content on the same order as olive oil, with β‐sitosterol (84%) predominating. Two sesquiterpene lactones, dehydrocostuslactone and costunolide, accounted for 5% of the overall composition. Madeira laurel oil is not currently used as an edible oil because of its very strong flavor. Its claimed medicinal properties have not yet been validated, and this is the first report on the characterization of the commercial product.