Quality Control and Authentication of Argan Oils: Application of Advanced Analytical Techniques

Molecules. 2023 Feb 15;28(4):1818. doi: 10.3390/molecules28041818.

Abstract

In addition to the nutritional and therapeutic benefits, Argan oil is praised for its unique bio-ecological and botanic interest. It has been used for centuries to treat cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and skin infections, as well as for its anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties. Argan oil is widely commercialized as a result of these characteristics. However, falsifiers deliberately blend Argan oil with cheaper vegetable oils to make economic profits. This reduces the quality and might result in health issues for consumers. Analytical techniques that are rapid, precise, and accurate are employed to monitor its quality, safety, and authenticity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of studies on the quality assessment of Moroccan Argan oil using both untargeted and targeted approaches. To extract relevant information on quality and adulteration, the analytical data are coupled with chemometric techniques.

Keywords: argan oil; authentication; chemometrics; chromatographic techniques; quality control; spectroscopic techniques.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Food*
  • Plant Oils*
  • Quality Control

Substances

  • Plant Oils

Grants and funding

This research was funded by VLIR-UOS (Team project-VLIR 345 MA2017), the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), and the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Rabat (FMPR).