Hydro-treatment of wild bitter apricot kernel oil: a cheap and cost-effective alternative for reducing toxicity and enhancing quality

Abstract

Wild bitter apricot kernel oil (AKO) is an underutilized resource due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides (specifically amygdalin), which can pose toxicity during its direct utilization. This study explores the potential of hydro-treatment to detoxify AKO while preserving its physicochemical and nutritional parameters. The results revealed that non-treated apricot kernel oil possesses a yellow appearance, 1.468 refractive index and 0.92 specific gravity, and treated apricot kernel oil exhibits a pale-yellow appearance, 1.468 refractive index and 0.93 specific gravity. Notably, quantitative analysis revealed that the total phenolic content was higher in non-treated AKO (27.28 µg GAE per g) compared to treated AKO (13.92 µg GAE per g). AKO exhibited a comparable composition of prominent (especially oleic and linoleic acids) fatty acids. Both variants showed good antioxidant properties. Importantly, amygdalin was undetectable in the hydro-treated AKO, confirming its safety for utilization. Hydro-treatment did not significantly affect the yield, refractive index, specific gravity, fatty acid profile, acid value, iodine value, and peroxide and saponification values, with all parameters complying with the prescribed range of FAO/WHO and PFA specifications for almond oil. In conclusion, hydro-treatment is an effective approach to detoxify AKO, ensuring its safety and quality for potential applications in the food industry.