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Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the oil of kenaf seeds therefore the proximate analysis of kenaf (Hibisicus cannabinus L.) seeds especially its oil content, physical and chemical properties, fatty acids profile of oil, composition of unsaponifiable matter of extracted oil, nutritional and biological evaluation of kenaf seed oil as edible oil was carried out to find out its suitability for human consumption. The proximate analysis of kenaf seed was found to be 9.6 % moisture, 26.4 % total lipid, 25.8 % crude protein, 24.2 % total carbohydrate, 7.4 % ash and 16.2 % crude fibers. Physico-chemical constants of kenaf seed oil were found to be: acid value 0.6, iodine value 117, saponification value 199, peroxide value 1.0 , unsaponifiable matter 3.1 % (w/w), refractive index 1.4653, the viscosity 48 cp. Fatty acid composition of kenaf seed oil showed high level of linoleic acid (C18:2) 46.1 % , followed by oleic acid ( C18:1) 28.6 %, palmitic acid (C16:0) 18.8 % , linolenic acid (C18:3) 3.0 %, and stearic acid (C18:0) 2.8%. Hydrocarbons C21 and C25 were the predominant hydrocarbons where their percentages were 25.8, and 7.7 % of unsaponfiable matter, respectively. Concerning phytosterols, β-sitosterol, campsterol , and stigmasterol were 5.7 %, 2.2%, and 0.5 % of unsaponifiable matter, respectively. A set of nutritional biological experiments were conducted to evaluate the safety of kenaf seed oil as edible oil for human consumption using four groups of rats fed diets contained different mounts of kenaf seed oil. Experiments of biological evaluation included serum analysis (total protein, albumin, globulin, total, direct, and indirect bilirubin, GOT (AST), GPT (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, urea, creatinine , total lipid, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose ), hematology (RBCs, WBCs, platelets, hematocrit, hemoglobin ,MCV, MCHC, and MCV), and histopathology of some organs (liver, kidney, spleen, heart, and brain).There were no significant harmful effects had been observed in rats fed diets kenaf seed oil. It can be concluded from results obtained, rlatively high amount of kenaf oil, high amount of unsaponifiable matter, fatty acid profile, and results obtained from of biological evaluation, that kenaf oil can be used a safe and desirable source of edible oil for human consumption. |