Abstract
The fatty oils which form about 40% of the dried seeds of West Indian grape fruits, oranges and limes have been studied with respect to their component acids and glycerides. The mixed fatty acids of each seed oil arc broadly similar in their content of 23β25% of palmitic, 5β10% of stearic, nearly 40% of Unoleic and about 20β25% of oleic acid, with in addition a few per cent of linolenic acid. Apart from the lastβnamed acid, there is considerable resemblance between the component acids of the Citrus seed oils and those of cottonseed oil. This resemblance extends also to the constituent mixed glycerides of the oils. The Citrus seed oils are of good quality in the raw condition and are readily refined and deodorized to give oils of high edible quality. The latter, in view of the presence of some linolenic glycerides, would be expected to be more prone to oxidative rancidity than cottonseed oil, but by partial hydrogenation the Citrus seed oils yield soft solid fats which when refined and deodorized could form excellent lard substitutes. The quantities of Citrus seeds available technically, however, may not be sufficiently large to permit the oils to be of practical interest to the edible fat industry.