PHYSIOCOCHEMICAL, CHARACTERIZATIONS OF TIGERNUT (CYPERUS ESCULENTUS) OIL EXTRACTED USING HEXANE AND ETHANOL SOLVENT
Abstract
The increasing demand for sustainable and nutritionally valuable vegetable oils has highlighted the need to explore underutilized crops such as tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus). This study investigated the extraction and physicochemical characterization of tiger nut oil using two different solvents hexane and ethanol in order to compare their extraction efficiency and oil quality. Oil extraction was carried out using Soxhlet apparatus with hexane and maceration with ethanol, after which the oils were analysed for yield, and key physicochemical parameters. The results revealed that hexane gave a higher oil yield (28.7 ± 0.35%) compared to ethanol (22.8 ± 0.30%), indicating its superior efficiency as a non-polar solvent. Physicochemical analyses showed acid values between 2.85–3.12 mg KOH/g, iodine values of 80–82 g I₂/100 g, and saponification values of 185–188 mg KOH/g, all within Codex Alimentarius standards for edible oils. Fatty acid profiling further showed oleic acid (~65%) as the dominant fatty acid, comparable to olive oil, suggesting potential cardioprotective benefits. In conclusion, hexane proved more effective for oil recovery, while ethanol. Tiger nut oil therefore represents a high-quality edible oil with applications in food, cosmetics, and industrial formulations.
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