Pine nut oil
Pine nut oil, also called pine seed oil or cedar nut oil, is a vegetable oil, extracted from the edible seeds of several species of pine. While the oil produced from the seeds of more common European and American pine varieties is mostly used for culinary purposes, Siberian pines (growing in Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan), as well as Korean pines (growing mostly in China and North Korea) yield the seeds with the highest content of pinolenic acid, as well as antioxidants associated with medicinal uses.
Culinary uses
Pine nut oil has a relatively low smoke point, and is therefore not generally used during cooking. Rather, it is added to foods for "finishing", to add flavor.[1]
In Russia before the revolution of 1917, it was used for cooking during Great Lent when the eating of animal fats was forbidden. At that time, ten percent of all hard currency in Russia was based on the trade of pine nut oil. Most of the trade was with France, which traditionally uses nut oil in cooking.
Pine nut oil is also reportedly an excellent bread preservative when a small amount is added to the dough.[2]
Triglyceride composition
One analysis of the triglyceride composition of Siberian pine nut oil showed the following composition:[3]
| Fatty acid | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Linoleic acid | 49.0% ± 2.3 |
| Oleic acid | 23.8% ± 2.1 |
| Pinolenic acid | 17.1% ± 2.0 |
| Palmitic acid | 6.3% ± 2.2 |
| Stearic acid | 2.5% ± 0.1 |
See also
References
- ^ "Raw Foods Values and Information". Goods from the Woods. Retrieved 2006-09-24.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ FAO (1995). "Chapter 8: Seeds, Fruits and Cones". Non-wood forest products from conifers.
- ^ V. I. Deineka; L. A. Deineka (March 2003). "Triglyceride Composition of Pinus sibirica Oil". Chemistry of Natural Compounds. 39 (2): 171. doi:10.1023/A:1024857729235.
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