Characteristics of Hozat apricot seed oil as a new source of oilseed

There has been an increase in apricot consumption due to its high bioactive and fiber content. However, the seed, inside part of the fruit, is considered as a food waste. In this study, potential usage of apricot seeds (bitter and sweet), that were cultivated in Hozat region- Tunceli, as an alternative oil source was evaluated. No comprehensive research has been undertaken to assess the seeds as an oil source before. In assessing its suitability for consumption, proximate composition of seed and physicochemical properties of the seeds’ oil had been determined. The proximate composition included the content of protein, ash, moisture, oil and the acidity as pH, in addition; iodine value, refractive index, nutritional quality, total phenolic content, antioxidant content, fatty acid composition and rheological properties of the oil were determined. Also, the effect of variety on them was examined. Overall, oil content was found to be the major component of the seed, thus the seed is good enough to be used as an oil source. Five different fatty acids were identified in the oil, that produced from the seed. These were palmitic, heptadecanoic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid. The oil had a refractive index between 1.4617 and 1.4628, iodine value between 100.47 and 102.11 gms, total phenolic content between 0.83 and 1.29 mg GAE g−1 oil, antioxidant activity between 11.21 and 11.60 mg TE g−1 oil for DPPH assay and 7.92–8.20 mg TE g−1 oil for ABTS assay, and apparent viscosity of 0.04 Pa.s. Moreover, viscous flow tests showed that the oil has a Newtonian flow behavior, and the nutritional indexes, that include unsaturated, atherogenicity, thrombogenicity and hypocholesterolemic/ hypercholesterolemic ratio, indicated that the oil is good enough for consumption as an oil source. The variety was found to have a significant effect on total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and refractive index of the oil, that was produced from apricot seed.