Caractéristiques physicochimiques et composition en acides gras des huiles de Raphia sese et Raphia laurentii

Abstract

Physico-chemical Characteristics and Fatty Acids Composition of Raphia sese and Raphia laurentii Oils. In the sight of the diversification of sources of lipids consumed by the congolese populations and of the valorization of the vast marshes of north of the Congo (Brazzaville), it was carried out a physico-chemical study of the oils extracted from the raphia palm trees which abundantly populate the flooded forests of the Congo basin. Two species were studied here : Raphia sese and Raphia Laurentii. The local oil process, which includes a stage of fermentation of the fruits before oil extraction leads to bad quality products than those extracted at the laboratory from fresh fruits. Raphia nut pulps are 40-52 % oil content (mainly : 32-34 %, of palmitic acid ; 8-11 % of stearicacid ; 15-19 % of oleic acid, 33-39 % of linolenic acid). The linolenic acid content is less than 2 %. These characteristics confer on raphia oils a statute of frying oil with high value of essential fatty acid content.

Keywords

• Raphia laurentii
• Raphia sese
• Oil
• Fatty acids
• Physico
• chemical characteristics
• Congo
• Brazzaville