Quality parameters for cold pressed edible argan oils.

Argan oil belongs to the high-price vegetable oils on the market. Therefore, consumers have the right to purchase a high-quality product. The quality of edible vegetable oils is defined in food standards in which sensory quality is the most important feature. Additional parameters are defined to assess the identity of oils or to evaluate their oxidative state. The sensory quality of cold pressed argan oil is altered if the production has not been performed with reasonable care regarding raw material and extraction. Only oil from roasted seeds extracted by a screw-press had a sufficient sensory quality over a period of 20 weeks without unacceptable sensory attributes. Under accelerated storage conditions oil from roasted seeds extracted by a screw-press remained below the limits given by the Codex Alimentarius or the German guideline for Edible Fats and Oils for peroxide and totox value. Oil from unroasted seeds or oil from goat-digested roasted seeds and extracted by a screw-press, as well as oil from roasted seeds traditionally extracted, exceeded these limits. Initial oxidative stability of oil from unroasted seeds was significantly lower than that of the other oils. After 35 days under accelerated storage, oil from roasted seeds obtained using a screw-press showed the highest oxidative stability. Moreover, tocopherol and phytosterol compositions are useful features of argan oil.