Camellia oil

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Chinese camellia oil
General chemical structure of camellia oil, a triglyceride : (R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are alkyl or alkenyl radicals with mostly an odd number of carbon atoms), depending on the type of fatty acid bound (oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid etc.)

Camellia oil is a higher viscosity vegetable oil that is pressed from the seeds of various species of camellia . In China , Vietnam and Japan, camellia oil is mainly obtained from the oil-rich species Camellia oleifera and Camellia sasanqua , and in rarer cases also from the less oily seeds of the tea bush ( Camellia sinensis ). The camellia ( Camellia japonica ), known as an ornamental plant, plays only a minor role as a source of the oil in terms of quantity. The oil must not be confused with tea tree oil , which is obtained from another plant.

The oil pressed from the seeds is called tsubaki ("camellia") in Japan .

ingredients

Camelia ( Camellia oleifera )

Camellia oil (values ​​for C. oleifera , C. sasanqua ) contains triglycerides of oleic acid (approx. 80%) as well as palmitic acid (approx. 10%), linoleic acid (5 to 8%) and stearic acid (3%).

use

A distinction is made between tsubaki oil and sasanqua oil , which have slightly different properties. For nutrition, the oil is used almost exclusively in Japan and China and there probably only regionally.

In cosmetics and as a remedy the oil is used both alone and in combination with other substances used. It is also used as an anti-corrosive oil and for the maintenance of wood and for the production of oil-paper umbrellas . The oil was and is also used in hair care (preferably in Japan and China ). It is assumed to have a positive effect on the human hormonal balance and an antiallergic effect.

As a corrosion protection agent, the oil is traditionally used to care for Japanese chef's knives and bladed weapons , e.g. B. Katana , Wakizashi and Tanto , used to prevent rust on the carbon steel commonly used in these blades . Since the oil has no adverse effect on food , it is not necessary to clean chef's knives from this oil before use.

Structure, color and grain are deepened on wooden surfaces. Paper umbrellas become insensitive to moisture and have a higher transparency.

warning

Although not camellia oil to oxidation prone and therefore not one of the hardening oils, soaked rags should be stored securely and disposed of fire with this oil to the risk of self-ignition counter. This danger must always be considered with all vegetable oils.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Andreas Bärtels: The great book of the camellias. Ulmer, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-8001-4145-0 .
  2. ^ Josef Schormüller : Handbuch der Lebensmittelchemie. Volume IV: Fette und Lipoide (Lipids) , Springer, 1969, ISBN 978-3-662-23548-5 , p. 64.