False flax oil
False flax oil is a pressed seed oil, derived from the Camelina sativa or false flax, also called gold of pleasure. False flax has long been grown in Europe, and its oil used as a lamp oil until the 18th century. In recent times, it has been explored for use in cosmetic and skin care products.[1] It has a high content of omega-3 and is used as a food supplement by some cultures. In the United States the Food and Drug Administration has not rated the oil for human consumption yet. False flax belongs to the Brassicaceae (mustard and cabbage) family, which also contains many other seed oil plants, such as rapeseed. Typically it contains 1–3% erucic acid but several Camelina Sativa varieties with erucic acid content of less than 1% have been introduced.[2]
The seeds contain an average of 37% by weight of oil, and contains the following fatty acids:[3]
| Component | Percentage | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha-linolenic | 35–42% | Polyunsaturated |
| Oleic | 12–27% | Monounsaturated |
| Linoleic | 16–25% | Polyunsaturated |
| Gadoleic | 9–17% | Monounsaturated |
| Palmitic | 3–8% | Saturated |
| Stearic | 2–3% | Saturated |
References
- ↑ Stanislas Crouzier. "Processing false flax (camelina) proteins and oils to be used as base materials in cosmetics and skin care products". Archived from the original on 2005-11-13.
- ↑ Sampath, Anusha (2009), "Chemical Characterization of Camelina Seed Oil"
- ↑ "Gold of Pleasure (pdf)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2003-04-20.