Oil was extracted with hexane on a pilot plant scale from seeds of Amaranthus cruentus after the seeds were subjected to an efficient abrasive milling. Optimum conditions were then determined for terming and bleaching this oil. The yellow oil obtained is similar in appearance and composition to corn oil, but comparison with previously published analyses reveals a considerable variation in the content of the principal fatty acids, palmitic, oleic and linoleic, although the squalene content (5-8%) was in the expected range.

Castor, safflower, and oleic safflower oil derivatives with enhanced reactivity and hydroxyl group content were prepared by hydroformylation with a rhodium-triphenylphosphine catalyst, followed by hydrogenation. Rigid urethane foams prepared from these hydroxymethylated derivatives had excellent compressive strengths, closed cell contents, and dimensional stability. Best properties were obtained from hydroxymethylated polyol esters of castor acids. C H 3-( CH 2)z-C H-( CH 2 )y-CH-( CH 2 )x-C OOR 176 236 303 t-© t'~ 7~ t-ro © aRef. 5. bOn methyl esters, JXR silicone column programed from 180-260 C at 2 C/rain, flame ionization detector. Hydroformylated castor esters showed several peaks which were not identified. CPrepared by hydrogenation of hydroformylated products with Raney nickel at 100 C/1000 psig H 2. dOn acetate esters, eCalculated values for methyl hydroxymethylstearate = 170.5; methyl dihydroxymethylstearate = 312.5; methyl hydroxymethylhydroxystearate = 325. fEquivalent wt = 56,100/(hydroxyl value + acid value). < © r~

Because of its good taste and outstanding stability, sesame oil has long been one of the most desirable edible vegetable oils. Sesame meal is a valuable supplement for food and feeds because of the high methionine content of its protein relative to other oilseed proteins. Production of sesame seed in the U.S. has been small but is expected to increase with success in the development of nonshattering varieties. Current information on the composition, properties, processing and use of sesame is discussed.

Safflower meal is a source of high quality protein for animal feeds but has not been used for human consumption because it is bitter and mildly cathartic. Deleterious glucosides in the meal were removed or modified by extraction with either water at the isoelectric point or with methanol, enzymatic treatment with /3-glucosidase, dialysis, or by processing to prepare protein isolates. Analytical procedures were devised for quantitative measurement of two phenolic glucosides reported to be associated with bitterness and cathartic activity in safflower meal, and for estimating the cathartic activity of safflower meals and fractions.

The preparation of solvent‐blown rigid urethane foams from low cost castor oil‐polyol mixtures was investigated. Solutions of triisopropanolamine, and of mixtures of triisopropanolamine and triethanolamine in castor oil, were used as the polyol component of these foams. Foams were prepared by reacting these polyol mixtures, in the presence of catalyst, surfactant, and trichlorofluoromethane, with prepolymers prepared from toluenediisocyanate and certain polyether polyols or mixtures of these polyether polyols with castor oil. The effect of polyol and prepolymer composition and blowing agent concentration on such foam properties as density and compressive strength was investigated. The properties of the castor oil‐based foams were comparable to those of foams obtained from more costly polyols.