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The past decade has seen increasing interest in plant oils in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries due to their diverse functional and nutritional properties, as well as the high levels of consumer acceptance. As a result, there has been a spike in research interest in finding new sources of oils with good potential for industrial use. In this paper, the chemical characterisation (saponification, iodine, acid and ester numbers, as well as fatty acid composition) of nettle seed oil was given. Oil was analysed for its thermooxidative stability by differential scanning calorimetry. The kinetic parameters of oxidation (Ea, A, and k) were also determined. The results showed that nettle seed oil belongs to the group of edible oils of the linoleic type and it is nutritionally highly valuable, it has pronounced thermooxidative stability and could be an alternative source of raw material for the food, cosmetics, and other non-food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of castor (Ricinus communis L.) plant characteristics, cultivation, seed harvest, reception, and pretreatment, and oil extraction, refinement, storage, and physicochemical properties, composition, and uses. It focuses on various traditional and novel methods of castor oil extraction and their optimization, kinetics, thermodynamics, and techno-economic, environmental, and social issues. Generally, novel techniques proved higher oil yield in a shorter time than conventional ones. The hybrid ultrasound-microwave-assisted extraction provided the highest oil yield, whereas supercritical CO2 extraction showed no effect. The composition and properties of castor oil depend on not only extraction methods but also geographical origin, climate, soil, cultivar, and harvest time. The future perspective involves utilizing the entire biomass in a biorefinery to maximize the value of oil, seed cake, and waste residues. Castor oil production offers opportunities for sustainable development, but challenges must be addressed to ensure sustainability and social responsibility throughout the production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oils extracted from natural plants are valuable resources because of their diverse biocidal activity against microorganisms. This paper reports, for the first time, supercritical CO 2 extraction of oil from Korarima (Aframomum corrorima) seeds and its antibacterial activity evaluation. The influences of pressure, temperature, and extraction time on the yield of supercritical CO 2 -extracted oil (scCO 2 -extracted oil) were optimized using the Response Surface Methodology. Under the optimal extraction conditions of 46 °C, 15.5 MPa, and 147 min, the extraction yield reached 1.60±0.04 %, consistent with the theoretical value of 1.58 %. The compositions of the scCO 2 -extracted oil were identified by GC-MS, primarily consisting of nerolidol (33.97–41.20 %), geraniol (23.08–24.50 %), and α-terpinene (8.90–9.06 %). The oil exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus. aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1 mg·mL−1. This study highlights the potential applications of supercritical CO 2 extraction technology for extracting Korarima seed oil and its use as an antibacterial ingredient in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. [Display omitted] • Yield of scCO 2 -extracted oil from Korarima seed is higher than using hydrodistillation. • Supercritical CO 2 -extracted oil shows significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus. • Antibacterial activity could be attributed to enriched Nerolidol in the oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic interaction between crude oil prices and the prices of grains and oilseed is critical yet a complex issue in agriculture given the potential impact of the energy sector price fluctuations on production costs, transportation, and processing. This study explores the interactions between prices of crude oil, key grains, and oilseeds (maize, soybean, and wheat) in South Africa from 2018 to 2022. Utilising monthly data, this study employs the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to assess the short-term and long-term relationships, and the Granger causality test to determine the causality directions. Results revealed a mixed long-term cointegration wherein crude oil prices and the prices of maize as well as soybean have a relationship, but no evidence of such a relationship exists for wheat prices. Additionally, no short-term effects were observed, suggesting that immediate fluctuations in crude oil prices do not influence the prices of maize, soybean, and wheat. Instead, short-term prices movements of the grains and oilseeds may be driven by other factors that could be of interest to policymakers. Furthermore, the Granger causality findings show no causality direction between prices of crude oil and the selected grain and oilseed. These findings challenge the presumed direct connection between energy and agricultural prices, thus offering policymakers a perspective to redirect their focus to formulate short-term price policy strategies that decrease dependability on crude oil to promote sustainability in the agricultural sector without disrupting the progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 of ending hunger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The appropriate use of food industry by-products such as watermelon seeds could reduce the problem of food waste, following the "zero waste" concept. Research in recent years suggests that these unused waste products could be a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Accordingly, the present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional potential and selected quality parameters of watermelon seed oils. Four commercial oils (three unrefined cold-pressed and one refined pressed) and one self-extracted oil were considered. The oils were analyzed over three months of storage after opening/extraction to determine their fatty acid (FA) composition and distribution, hydrolytic and oxidative stability, and selected health indices. Linoleic acid was the predominant FA, ranging from 52.9% (refined oil) to 62.2% (self-extracted oil). Refined oil demonstrated superior oxidative stability, with the lowest acid value (AV) and peroxide value (PV) throughout the storage period, adhering to the Codex Alimentarius standards. Unrefined oils, particularly WO3, showed significantly higher AVs and PVs after storage, indicating greater susceptibility to hydrolytic and oxidative changes. Health indices were favorable for all oils, with self-extracted oil exhibiting the highest health-promoting index (7.07) and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (7.18). Oxidative stability showed that self-extracted oil had significantly higher stability (76.6 min) than other tested oils, despite having the highest PUFA content. In turn, refinement has a significant effect on the AVs and PVs and the oxidative stability of oil, achieving the lowest PUFA level (53.61%). These results emphasize the potential of watermelon seed oil as a health-promoting product and emphasize the role of production and storage conditions in maintaining its quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]