No abstract

Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) is a plant native to the Peruvian Amazon, with great expansion because of the high industrialization potential of its seeds (SIS). The Sacha Inchi oil (SIO) is commonly obtained by pressing the SIS, and it is of high commercial value because of its excellent nutritional properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of the dehulling of SIS on the physicochemical and sensory properties of the SIO extracted by means of cold pressing. The fatty acid composition, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, density, refractive index (RI), acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV), p‐anisidine index (p‐An), oxidative stability index (OSI), color, and sensory profiles of the SIO samples were evaluated. The oils obtained from whole SIS showed similar fatty acid profiles, physicochemical properties, and sensory profiles to those extracted from dehulled SIS. After 60 days of storage, the total oxidation values of both SIO samples significantly increased, but there were no significant differences between oils from whole and dehulled SIS. Thus, the dehulling process could be avoided without affecting significantly the quality of the obtained oils.