The argan tree (Argania sideroxylon, sapotaceae), a desert source of edible oil

Morton, Julia F.; Voss, Gilbert L.

doi:10.1007/bf02858970

Cited by 73 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The argan tree of the family Sapotaceae is only endemic in Morocco, where argan groves naturally cover about 8000 km 2 . The argan tree is a slow-growing spiny tree and is either shrubby or up to 10 m high when isolated and growing in a favorable environment [2].…”

Section: The Argan Treementioning

confidence: 99%

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Argan oil: Occurrence, composition and impact on human health

Charrouf¹,

Guillaume²

2008

Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol.

155

129

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Edible argan oil is traditionally prepared by Berber women who manually crunch the roasted kernels of Argania spinosa fruits. Unroasted kernels furnish a cosmetic-grade oil. Argan groves are currently shrinking due to unfavorable conditions. To stop this trend, a program aimed at increasing the argan tree economical value is in progress in Morocco. Its concept is that the natives will preserve argan trees only if the major part of the wealth resulting from the argan grove production directly benefits them. Because of its high dietary value, argan oil has appeared as the best derivative to rapidly satisfy such assumption. Consequently, year after year, cooperatives have been implanted to produce argan oil of high quality on a large scale. The delicate hazelnut taste of argan oil, combined with its high level in unsaturated fatty acids, has allowed its swift commercial success and, nowadays, argan oil of standardized quality is marketed worldwide. Moroccan farmers are now beginning to plant argan trees, confirming the full success of this ambitious program. This review summarizes the methods used to prepare argan oil, its composition, the strategies available to certify argan oil quality, and finally the impact of argan oil on human health.

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Section: The Argan Treementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The argan tree is a slow-growing spiny tree and is either shrubby or up to 10 m high when isolated and growing in a favorable environment [2]. The argan tree life span frequently exceeds 200 years.…”

Section: The Argan Treementioning

confidence: 99%

Argan oil: Occurrence, composition and impact on human health

Charrouf¹,

Guillaume²

2008

Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol.

155

129

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…During the early 1900s large quantities of charcoal were produced from the forest to satisfy the then-demands in European countries. In the mid1900s by the same demands from Northern Moroccan cities triggered a major decline in the argan forest [4]. Nowadays, the charcoal demand has shrunk considerably, but the basic problem still persists.…”

Section: The Argan Forest Micro-societymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…But it is extremely resistant. Argan trees can live for 150 years, and sometimes more than 200 years, and beause of its deep root system, it can survive long periods of drought [2,4]. Therefore, the argan tree is often the ultimate warrior when the desert is encroaching on the Souss valley.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Development in Northern Africa: The Argan Forest Case

Charrouf¹,

Guillaume

2009

Sustainability

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Abstract:The argan tree is a slow growing tree exclusively endemic in the dry lowlands of Southwest Morocco. The argan forest constitutes a long time ignored specific biotope that has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1998. The argan forest is particularly fragile to climate change. Forecasts show annual precipitation levels and prolonged drought periods that could severely threaten the future of the argan forest. In some places, the argan forest is already damaged, resulting in the retreat of the argan tree and the subsequent desert encroachment. An acceleration of this trend would have devastating consequences. In response, some twenty years ago, an ambitious, unique in Northern-Africa, and government-supported program was initiated in Morocco to rescue the argan tree via the sustainable development of the argan forest. Because in the late 1980s, sustainable development in developing countries was often considered as a utopia, the argan forest case represents a sign of progress, as it is also an interesting and unique experience in Africa. This review analyses the process followed, the measures taken, the pitfalls encountered, and the results obtained during the last two decades. It also points out the measures that still need to be taken before declaring the argan forest rescue mission is accomplished.

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“…Bani-Aameur et al (1999) distinguished mainly six fruit shapes (narrowly ellipsoid, ellipsoid pointed, ellipsoid, obovate, high-spheroid and spheroid) in southwest Morocco. Subsequently, several authors identified four very different fruit shapes in several localities in the argan forest in Morocco (Metro 1952;Sandret 1957;Morton and Voss 1987;Maalah 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative analysis of some biochemical parameters of argan pulp morphotypes (Argania spinosa (L) Skeels) during maturity and according to the continentality in Essaouira region (Morocco)

Zhar

Naamani

Dihazi

et al. 2016

Physiol Mol Biol Plants

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Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels is an endemic forest tree for Morocco. The phytochemical compounds evaluation of four different morphotypes of their fruit pulps was investigated. The total content of sugar, protein and phenolic compounds were monitored during three different stages of maturation in the semi-continental (Mejji) and littoral regions (R'zwa). Total sugars, proteins, phenolics increased up to the ripe stage of all argan fruit morphotypes in the two regions. Spherical shape had higher sugar and protein content than other morphotypes. A significant difference (p \ 0.05), was demonstrated by Pearson's test, between the different morphotypes at three stages studied for all the phytochemicals compounds. Likewise, ANOVA test established that the variation of this compounds was influenced by the stage of maturation and/or region of development and/or their interaction according to fruit shape. Results from this study revealed that the increase of these parameters level take place for the most part during the last stages of maturity which synchronize with fruit softening. Furthermore, our results showed information about the richness of argan fruit pulp in carbohydrates compounds and secondary metabolites as the possibility of their contribution in nutritive forage value especially at ripe stage.

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The argan tree (Argania sideroxylon, sapotaceae), a desert source of edible oil

Cited by 73 publications

References 2 publications

Argan oil: Occurrence, composition and impact on human health

Argan oil: Occurrence, composition and impact on human health

Sustainable Development in Northern Africa: The Argan Forest Case

Comparative analysis of some biochemical parameters of argan pulp morphotypes (Argania spinosa (L) Skeels) during maturity and according to the continentality in Essaouira region (Morocco)

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