USE OF Prunus armeniaca L. SEED OIL AND PULP IN HEALTH AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is grown at high altitudes. Apricot is a stone fruit that can grow at an altitude of 1000-2700 m (Khursheed et al., 2020). Apricot is widely used in the cosmetics industry, pharmaceutical industry and food industry. Apricots are valuable sources for functional foods and nutraceuticals. Apricot kernel and pulp are rich in polyphenols, fatty acids, carotenoids, minerals, vitamin A, ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid and ascorbic acid. It also contains microelements such as Zn, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Na, Mn, P and K. Apricotoil-based massage cream, moisturising cream, bleaching cream and skin mask are produced from apricot kernel pulp, contributing to recycling. In order to extract oil from apricot kernel, oils are extracted by cold press method. For the extraction of bioactive compounds from apricot kernels, various techniques such as solvent extraction, ultrasonication, enzyme assisted, microwave assisted and aqueous extraction are used. In general, our findings indicate that apricot kernels are a valuable source of oil with potential applications in food and cosmetic industries.