Characteristics of tea seed oil in comparison with sunflower and olive oils and its effect as a natural antioxidant

A comparison of iodine values showed that the degree of saturation of tea seed oil (Lahijan variety) was intermediate between the oils of sunflowerseed (Fars variety) and olive (Gilezeytoon variety), and the saponification values of these three oils were similar. Tea seed oil consisted of 56% oleic acid (Cl 8:1), 22% linoleic acid (Cl 8:2), 0.3% linolenic acid (Cl 8:3), and therefore, on the basis of oleic acid, occupied a place between sunflower and olive oil. In studies at 63degreesC, the shelf life of tea seed oil was higher than that of sunflower oil and similar to olive oil. Tea seed oil was found to have a natural antioxidant effect, and it enhanced the shelf life of sunflower oil at a 5% level. In this study, tea seed oil was found to be a stable oil, to have suitable nutritional properties (high-oleic, medium-linoleic, and low-linolenic acid contents), and to be useful in human foods.