Characteristics and composition of vegetable oil‐bearing materials

A survey of the commercially most important oil‐bearing fruits and seeds is presented. Their place in the nutrition of the world's population is sketched, both as a source of fat and as a potential source of protein. Origin and occurrence of a number of oil fruits and seeds are treated, and their relative importance is discussed. Characteristics of the vegetable oils are described in the light of their fatty acid compositions. Nutritional aspects of polyunsaturated fatty acids are discussed briefly, as well as the antinutritional properties of erucic acid. Oilseed proteins are discussed from the point of view of their growing importance as a source of food for man, and compositions of their essential amino acids are discussed in relation to their nutritive value.