Ben oil
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Ben oil is pressed from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera, known variously as the horseradish tree, ben oil tree, or drumstick tree. The oil is characterized by an unusually long shelf life[citation needed] and a mild, but pleasant taste.[citation needed] The name of the oil is derived from the presence of behenic acid. The oil's components are:
Component | Percentage |
---|---|
Oleic acids | 65.7% |
Palmitic acid | 9.3% |
Stearic acid | 7.4% |
Behenic acid | 8.6% |
Seeds offer a relatively high yield of 22-38% oil. Ben oil has been used for thousands of years as a perfume base, and continues to be used in that capacity today. The oil can also be used as a fuel. Burkill reports:
- It burns with a clear light and without smoke. It is an excellent salad oil, and gives a good soap... It can be used for oiling machinery, and indeed has a reputation for this purpose as watch oil, but is now superseded by sperm oil.
History
Greece
The ancient
Rome
In
Alexandria
During the same era,
Europe
Another misunderstanding arose when a new Malaysian fruit reached Europe through the Arabs. The Europeans confused it with myrobalan and called the new fruits "myrobalans". The problem was only solved by simply renaming the old fruit, borrowing the Arabic bân for the new name. It was enough to separate the two products, but confusion was still common for several hundred years since both were used in medicines. Naturally the ben fruits of antiquity were not the same as the ben fruits of modern times.
Jamaica
Interest in ben oil in Jamaica began in the first half of the 19th century. The oil had a reputation for being extremely durable and was often used to lubricate fine mechanics (clocks, for example). In 1848, the oil was analyzed for the first time and a new type of saturated fatty acid was found and was given the name behenic acid.
Grasse
At the perfume manufactury in Grasse, France, ben oil was used as a maceration oil for herbal oil until it was replaced by cheaper types of oil, alcohol and newly invented solvent agents in the 1870s. In the 1930s it was again put to use, but was then again forgotten as a component of perfume making, probably mostly due to political turmoil in many European colonies. Ben oil was forgotten for much of the rest of the 20th century as a watch oil.
Modern use
Use in cosmetic skin care
The early 21st century has seen a resurgence in demand for ben oil, in large part due to its increasing use as a cosmetic oil or "beauty oil".
In the context of a currently increasing global demand for ben oil, a number of African and Caribbean countries with climates suitable to moringa cultivation have begun to produce the oil for export.
See also
References
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (March 2019) ) |
- Burkill, J. H. 1966. A Dictionary of Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Art Printing Works, Kuala Lumpur. 2 vols.
- Duke, James A. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops, Moringa oleifera
- Charles Knight. 1833. The Library of Entertaining Knowledge; Vegetable Substances: materials of manufactures. 22, Ludgate Street, and 13, Pall-Mall East, London.