Physico-chemical and nutritive characteristics of selected cold-pressed oils found in the European market

Abstract

Commercially available cold-pressed oils found in the European market were evaluated for their fatty acid composition, ?6/?3 ratio, tocopherols profile, and oxidative stability. Olive, hazelnut, avocado, almond, and rapeseed oils were found to be rich in omega-9(oleic acid); hemp, pumpkin, and almond oils were rich in omega-6. The highest omega 3 fatty acids content was found in flax (53.49 %), camelina (35.71%), and hemp (19.08%) oils, while the hemp and rapeseed oils, according to the modern nutritional guidelines, had the best ω6/ω3 ratio (3.1:1 and 2.3:1, respectively). Flax and camelina oils had a reversed ω6/ω3 ratio (0.3:1 and 0.5:1, respectively). The highest a-tocopherol content was found in hazelnut oil (360.0 mg/kg); the highest γ-tocopherol content was found inhemp oil (817.14 mg/kg). Based on the fatty acid profile, ω6/ω3 ratio, and tocopherol content, hemp, high-oleic rapeseed, and walnut oils have nutritional advantages over other investigated oils.