The component fatty acids of tobacco‐seed oils

The component acids of tobacco‐seed oils from plants grown in India, Turkey, Rhodesia and England have been studied: the linoleic acid content varied from 69% (Indian) to 79% (English). The glycerides of the Indian oil were studied and shown to include about 74% of dilinoleo glycerides and 20% of trilinolein. This composition indicates the suitability of the oil as a non‐yellowing oil for paints, alkyd resins, etc., and also shows that tobacco‐seed oils follow the usual pattern of seed‐fat glyceride structure. All the oils studied are thus very suitable for the paint industry (this finding has been confirmed by practical usage in the case of Indian oil), but earlier records suggest that, as in sunflower and some other species, the proportions of linoleic and oleic acid may vary over a much wider range. In view of this variability and of the fact that any oil with a linoleic content of more than about 67% is well suited for drying purposes, the technical designation of oils with linoleic contents of 67% or higher from any of these sources as ‘linoleic‐rich (tobacco) seed oil,’ ‘linoleic‐rich (sunflower) seed oil,’ etc., is suggested.