Evaluation of the Effect of Argan Kernel Roasting on Physicochemical Properties and Oxidative Stability of Cold-Pressed Argan oil

Argan oil extracted from the fruit of Argania Spinosa L. has many nutritional and therapeutic properties. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Argan kernel roasting on physicochemical properties of cold-pressed oil. In this study, Argan kernels were roasted at 110 ° C for 30 minutes, and Argan oil was extracted from unroasted and roasted kernels by cold pressing. The results showed that in the oils extracted from unroasted and roasted Argan kernels, the predominant fatty acid was oleic acid and then linoleic and palmitic acids, respectively. γ-Tocopherol made up more than 80% of the tocopherol compounds in the samples, and spinasterol (78.44% in unroasted and 47.35% in roasted samples) were the predominant sterol compound of Argan oil. The sterol compounds of schottenol (38.69%), chlorophyll (0.43 ppm) and carotenoid contents (15.2 mg/kg) in oil extracted from roasted Argan kernels were higher, and there was no statistically significant difference (p 0.05). According to the results, the oil extracted from roasted Argan kernels could be considered as a product with more desirable organoleptic properties and higher oxidative stability than the oil extracted from unroasted kernels during storage.