Proximate Composition and Physicochemical Characterization of Seed and Seed Oil of Solenostemma Argel

The objective of this study is to determine the basic chemical components of the Hargal seeds (Solenostemma Argel) and physicochemical properties, minerals concentrations and fatty acids of its oil. The sample was collected from the local market of Abu Hammad city in the River Nile State, Sudan.
The results showed that the seeds contained (43.3%) carbohydrate, (30.7%) crude protein, (13%) oil, (7%) moisture and (6%) ash. The results of the study also showed the physicochemical properties of oil as refractive index ( at 25°C) 1.4, density 0.9104 g/cm3, acid value 10.38 mg KOH/g oil, peroxide value 0.03 meq O2/Kg oil, iodine value 121/100 g oil and saponification value 197 mg KOH/g oil. The minerals contents in the oil (mg/100 g oil) were found 133, 85.0482, 67.4500, 24.4533, and 3 for sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium respectively. The results of the study revealed that the major fatty acid in Hargel seed oil is linoleic acid (44.15%) and the lowest one is arachidic acids (2.70%)