Irvingia Fat Ageing: Study of Chemical Characteristics Related to MIR Spectroscopy

The Irvingia gabonensis kernels, which have been extensively studied for their numerous virtues, including the ability to act against the accumulation of fats in the body[1], contain an oil. The aging of this oil under two different conditions of conservation was the subject of our work. One of the results was an increase in the content of long-chain carbonaceous fatty acids during aging for 11 months of storage at low temperature (6℃) and at 30℃. This behavior does not find a concordant explanation by the comparative analysis of the chemical indices. Hence, there is the need to use the Medium Infra-Red spectroscopy (MIR) which allowed to clarify the information of the saponification index, to justify the weakness of the formation of peroxides in the case of the conservation at 30℃ and to confirm the information given by the peroxide index. It also allowed to understand the formation of the long carbon chains by the “cis-trans” isomerization and the homolytic cuts which intervene within the matrix of the fat by the analysis of the number of -CH2 and -CH3 groups in the two conditions of conservation. This study reveals that the rapid solidification of Irvingia gabonensis oil at room temperature[2] is an advantage for its preservation at room temperature but a great weakness when the fat is stored at low temperature.

Use of Cucurbita pepo Oil to Fight against the UV Action on the Skin

Skin aging is a process most often attributed to UV [1] and also to the use of creams and other cosmetic products low in antioxidant compounds [2]. Photochemically stable pepo Cucurbita oil can be used as an exogenous cosmetic supplement due to its high antioxidant content. Incorporated in an agar, media containing a synthetic melanin solution with added pumpkin oil are subjected to UV light, the aging thus modeled is followed by the measurement of photoresistance values correlated with chemical and spectrophotometric analyses. This study confirms that pumpkin oil is highly effective in protecting the skin, especially the most sensitive skins such as babies’ skin [3] by reinforcing the action of melanin and also that of albinos without melanin. Indeed its SPF (Significant Sun Protection Factor) index estimated during this work is very consistent, i.e. more than 22% of UVB (280 - 315 nm) radiations are suppressed.

Attempt to Polymerize <i>Cucurbita pepo</i>Oil by Temperature Action and Photolysis

The study of the polymerization of a vegetable oil has a double interest;industrial but especially food. Industrial because polymers based on vegetable oil are in line with sustainable development;food because an oil which polymerizes easily is a danger for human consumption. Three situations of Cucurbita pepo oil polymerization are carried out in the course of time, the factor retained being temperature. A monitoring of the evolution of the enthalpy by temperature variation by the DSC method allows to report the polymerization of this oil. It happens that a polymerization is triggered in the oil matrix but it seems to fade very quickly, this behavior is general because after sweeping a temperature range of 80°C;100°C and 150°C adding different amounts of Irgacure: the Cucurbita pepo oil resists polymerization through its antioxidant compounds. However, a photolysis of this oil carried out over 8 days shows that it effectively polymerizes after 144 hours, which proves the great capacity of antioxidant compounds to protect this oil. The analyses carried out at 25°C aim to simulate the behavior of the oil at room temperature. The results reveal good resistance to both thermochemical and photochemical polymerization, which opens up great prospects for its development in the food industry and in nutrition.