4. Conclusion
It has been determined that the amount of tocopherol and tocotrienol is quite high in oils obtained by cold pressing compared to hot pressing. Hot pressing destroys the structure of tocopherol and tocotrienol in the composition of the oil and reduces their amounts. It is also known that oxidation stability is better in oils obtained by cold pressing [22]. Thanks to the cold pressing method applied in this study, the tocopherol and tocotrienol content in the composition of the oil were preserved at the maximum level without being damaged.
The high content of linoleic acid and tocopherol in vegetable oils increases the nutritional value and health benefits of the oil [33]. α-tocopherol is the most biologically important vitamin E analogue and γ-tocopherol has been shown to be more effective in reducing cytokine-induced cellular damage [22]. In our study, the most common fatty acid was found to be linoleic acid, and this pine nut oil was found to be rich in α- and γ-tocopherol. In the light of these informations, it can be easily said that the pine nut oil analyzed in this study has high nutritional value and health benefits. Also, it has high vitamin E content and a big potential to prevent cytokine-induced cellular damage.
β-sitosterol and campesterol in vegetable oils are ingredients that reduce the risk of LDL cholesterol [21]. Based on the fact that the most dominant sterols in pine nut oil examined in this study are β-sitosterol and campesterol, it can be said that this oil has LDL cholesterol inhibitory effect.