Oils from five cultivars of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) grown in Poland were analysed for characteristics of chemical and biological activity. The extracted oils had an average iodine value (g of I/100 g of oil) of 99.2; a refractive index of (40°C) 1.4675; a saponification value of 189 mg of KOH/g of oil; and 0.68% unsaponifiable matter. As regards the oxidation state, the specific extinction values of the oils at 232 and 268 nm were 2.55 and 0.94, respectively, while the peroxide value was 1.40 meq O2/kg and the p-anisidine value was 1.42. Oleic acid (70.70%) was the predominant fatty acid found in the oils, followed by linoleic (22.41%), palmitic (3.14%), stearic (1.4%), linolenic (0.90%), and palmitoleic (0.70%) acid. The content of α-, γ-, and δ- tocopherols in the oils from the five apricot cultivars was 19.6-40.0, 315.4-502.3, and 28.3-58.5 mg/kg, respectively. The antioxidant capacity of the apricot kernel oils, measured using the FRAP assay, ranged from 1.07 to 1.38 mM Fe2+/L, while total polyphenols and β-carotene content were 0.85-1.22 mM gallic acid/L and 42.3-66.8 μg/g, respectively. The results indicate that among the cultivars tested, the 'Somo' cultivar grown in Poland provides the most oil, with the highest antioxidant activity. The results of our study demonstrate that apricot seeds are a potential source of oil that can have both dietary and cosmetic applications.
Keywords: Prunus armeniaca; antioxidant properties; apricot oil; chemical characteristics; fatty acids.