Recently, more attention has been focused on utilization of food processing by irradiation. This investigation aims to evaluate the effects of gamma irradiation on the physical and chemical properties of apricot kernel oil. Apricot kernel samples were irradiated by 60Co gamma source at absorbed dose of 0, 6 and 9 kGy. The chemical properties of oil obtained from non-irradiated samples of apricot kernel were determined as acid value (AV) (10.95 mg KOH g-1 oil), peroxide value (PV) (2.91 meq kg-1 oil), iodine value (IV) (102.53 g I2 100 g-1 oil), (SV) (188.60m g KOH g-1 oil), refractive index (RI) index (25 oC) (1.4690), TBA number (Thiobarbituric acid) (0.06 mg MDA kg-1) and color (L*= 30.18, a*=15.60, b*= 40.91 and ∆E= 92.83). PV, TBA, IV, SV, refractive index L* and b* values of apricot kernel oil were not significantly affect by different gamma irradiation doses. While, an increase (p<0.05) in AV, and ∆E were observed in oil extracted from apricot kernel exposed to doses of 9 kGy. Physical and chemical characteristics of apricot kernel oil indicated that it is edible and therefore recommended as cooking oil.
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