Kokum oil
Kokum oil is a seed oil derived from the seeds of the kokum tree. Kokum oil is edible and can also be used for things other than cooking.
Kokum fruits contain five to eight large seeds which account for 20-23% of the fruit's weight. The kernels account for 61 percent of the weight of the seed, while the oil content of the kernel accounts for about 44%. The seeds are compressed and embedded in an acidic pulp. The oil content of the seeds is 23-26%. The average yield of seeds for a tree is 10-15 kilograms. The fruits are collected for seeds from April to May. The kernels account for 60% of the fruit by weight. The oil content of a kernel is 41-42%. A kernel contains protein up to 17%.
Collection of seeds
Fruits are collected manually by handpicking. The tree branches are shaken with long sticks and fallen fruits are collected. The fruits are broken by sticks to separate the seeds, which are picked up by hand. Then the separated seeds are dried to reduce their moisture content.Properties of oil
Kokum oil or kokum butter is light gray or yellowish in color. After refining, the kokum fat is equivalent to vanaspati ghee.| Property | Value |
| Appearance | Light pinkish white color |
| Odor | Characteristic kokum odor |
| Taste | Typical taste of kokum fat |
| Specific gravity | .898-0.914 g/cm3 |
| Slip melting point | 34-40 °C |
| Iodine value | 34-40 |
| Saponification value | 187-193 |
| Unsaponifiable matter | 1.2% |
| Moisture | 0.25 |
| Peroxide value | 4.0 max |
Kokum oil contains up to 60-65% saturated fatty acid, making it solid at room temperature, so this oil is known as kokum butter or kokum fat. Its triglyceride composition is uniform and consists of up to 80% of stearic-oleic-stearic triglycerides. The butter melts readily on contact with the skin.
Fatty acid composition of fat
| Fatty acid | Percentage |
| Palmitic acid | 2.0-8.0 |
| Stearic acid | 55-65 |
| Oleic acid | 30-44 |
| Linoleic acid | 0-8 |