Products
1.Conventional Kalahari Melon Seed Oil (harvested from farms where the melons are seen as a weed / pest)
2.Organic Kalahari Melon Seed Oil planted and harvested (ECOCERT certified as organic) on the farm Latham West
3.‘Crude’ organic Kalahari Melon seed cake
Services
1.Harvesting Kalahari melons from farms in South Africa where the melons are growing wild as a weed / pest to clean the land for agriculture crops (sunflower, peanuts, corn, etc.)
2.Pressing of other vegetable / fruit seeds for different oil applications
Specification of the Kalahari Melon Seed Oil (Products)
Peroxide Value –
Acid Value –
Free Fatty Acids –
Saponification Value –
lodine Value (Calc) –
Relative density –
Refractive index –
<9 meq/kg oil
<5 mg KOH/g oil
< 2.5 (% oleic)
> 170 mg KOH/g oil
120 – 160
0.910 – 0.925 20°C
1.46 – 1.49 at 20°C
Fatty Acid Composition
Fatty Acid Composition –
Fatty Acid Composition –
Fatty Acid Composition –
Fatty Acid Composition –
Fatty Acid Composition –
C18:2 cis Linoleic acid – Percentage 70%
C18:1 cis Oleic acid – Percentage 11%
C16:0 Palmitic acid – Percentage 9%
C18:0 Stearic acid – Percentage 8%
C18:3 – C22 Fatty Acids – Percentage 2%
TYPICAL ANALYSIS - Organic Kalahari Melon Seed Oil Analysis
Characteristic
Peroxide Value
Acid Value
Free Fatty Acids
Saponification Value
Iodine Value (calc)
Relative density
Refractive index
Specification
<9 meq/kg oil
<5 mg KOH/g oil
< 2.5 (% oleic)
> 170 mg KOH/g oil
120 – 160
0.910 – 0.925 20°C
1.46 – 1.49 at 20°C
Typical Value
1.5
1.2
0.61
192
132
0.921
1.33
TYPICAL ANALYSIS - Conventional Kalahari Melon Seed Oil Analysis
Characteristic
Peroxide Value
Acid Value
Free Fatty Acids
Saponification Value
Iodine Value (calc)
Relative density
Refractive index
Specification
<9 meq/kg oil
<5 mg KOH/g oil
< 2.5 (% oleic)
> 170 mg KOH/g oil
120 – 160
0.910 – 0.925 20°C
1.46 – 1.49 at 20°C
Typical Value
0.3
0.7
0.37
190
117
0.920
1.47
Benefits of Kalahari Melon Seed Oil and the Kalahari melon Seed Oil applications
The Kalahari melon seed oil is a light-colored vegetable oil with a nutty flavor and smell and it is rich in essential fatty acids. Besides fatty acids, Kalahari melon seed oil also contains sterols, diglycerides, monoglycerides and phospholipids (Petkova and Antova 2015). Kalahari melon seed oil contains high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic and oleic acids as the major acids. There are some biological applications that maintained its demand as a remedy for biological complications.
This seed oil, known since the time of ancient Egyptians, was used to care for the skin to maintain its healthy appearance and aid in its regeneration (Athar and Nasir, 2005). This moisturizing oil has a light texture and is therefore a highly suitable emollient in cosmetic care formulations. The high essential fatty acid content aids in nourishing the skin and restoring the elasticity. (2.)
Kalahari melon seed oil extracted from the seeds can be applied to herpes lesions, venereal sores, stubborn leg ulcers and the face to treat acne vulgaris (Van der Vossen et al., 2004).
References
(2.) African seed oils of commercial importance — Cosmetic applications I. Vermaak a, G.P.P. Kamatou a, B. Komane-Mofokeng a, A.M. Viljoen a,⁎, K. Beckett b
a Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa b PhytoTrade Africa, 5 Calvert Avenue, London, E2 7JP, United Kingdom
The physical and chemical characteristics and Anti-aging Effects of Kalahari Melon Seed Oil
The Kalahari melon seed oil has a very low saponification value and an iodine value that ranges between 170 and 190 indicating that the oil has good properties of absorbing oxygen on exposure to the atmosphere.
Therefore, the oil is a powerful antioxidant when applied topically on the skin. It provides antioxidants support to the skin cells. Free radical is a key reason that induced damage to the cells to accelerate aging along with UV radiation. In the presence of these nutrients, they are better to deal with free radicals and oxidizing agents in the environment. Kalahari melon seed oil contains a significant amount of vitamin E.
(Kalahari Melon seed oil Vitamin E activity (α-TE) results: 130 – 150 mg/kg ‘fat’ with the Total Tocopherol analysis between 1100 – 1340 mg/kg fat.)
When applied topically or when ingested, vitamin E gets absorbed into our system. This vitamin improves the functioning of the immune system. Application of this oil on the skin improves the ability of our skin to neutralize free radicals before they damage the matrix of collagen (Altaş et al. 2011).
Kalahari Melon Seed Oil when ingested leads to a reduction in liver enzymes (hepatoprotective potential – preventing damage to the liver) by lowering the liver damage induced by toxic substances. The Kalahari Melon seed oil contains palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids, which are considered beneficial to the body by lowering LDL cholesterol and increase HDL– good cholesterol.
Kalahari Melon Seed Oil for Skin and Hair applications
- Kalahari Melon Seed Oil is good for oily skin, it reduces skin oil (sebum) on the skin by dissolving it away. This is helpful for skin especially in conditions that are aggravated by excessive oil production such as acne (treatment of acne vulgaris (Van der Vossen et al., 2004)). Applying the pure Kalahari Melon Seed Oil or formulations containing the Kalahari melon seed Oil prevents clogging of hair follicles and thus prevents folliculitis like condition.
- The Kalahari Melon Seed Oil is beneficial and soothing to dry, irritated skin in conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
- The Kalahari Melon Seed Oil forms a soft nutty smell as an ingredient in hair care formulations. When the Kalahari Melon Seed Oil is applied directly to the scalp then washed out, it reduces oiliness on the scalp and hair.
- The Kalahari Melon Seed Oil reduces frizz in hair and provides nutrition to the scalp and hair. It can be used as a hot oil treatment on the hair to achieve smooth, shiny but much less greasy hair (Logaraj 2011).