Multiple Biological Activities of Unconventional Seed Oils

Book excerpt: Multiple Biological Activities of Unconventional Seed Oils brings detailed knowledge concerning the biological properties of oils (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, etc.), the content of individual substances with health-promoting properties, methods for biological properties assay, the influence of raw material quality and technological processes on the quality of oils, and possible raw materials and oil contaminants with adverse health effects. The book's chapters also highlight the unique properties of new oils, along with their biological activities. Less than a decade ago, the vegetable oils on grocery store shelves were derived from conventional oil seeds e.g., cotton, groundnut, sesame, corn sunflower and soybean. However, as consumers began to understand how fat intake affects overall health, researchers, plant growers and food manufacturers started to produce oils from unconventional sources. This book highlights what we've learned in the process. Explores unconventional oils, their different sources, and where they grow worldwide Explains the medicinal uses of unconventional oils Details the biological activities, antioxidant and physico-chemical composition of unconventional oils