Synthesis and characteristics of polyhydroxy triglycerides from milkweed oil

The milkweed family Asclepiadaceae comprises many genera including the genus Asclepias syriaca, otherwise known as the common milkweed. This plant had been considered a nuisance and serious efforts made toward its eradication. However, milkweed has become an industrial crop of growing significance on account of market demand for its hypoallergenic floss in pillows, comforters and other industrial uses. Processing of milkweed pods gives three product streams of floss, seed and pod hulls. The seed contains about 25% by weight of very highly unsaturated oil with some unusual fatty acids. The objective of this study was to generate value-added products from milkweed oil. To achieve this, the triglycerides of A. syriaca seed were oxidized to the polyoxirane and polyhydroxy triglyceride derivatives by means of an in situ peroxy acid method. The epoxy triglycerides produced exhibited high stability and highly viscous behavior, whereas the polyhydroxy triglycerides showed additional unusually stable emulsifying properties for oil in water emulsions. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.