Macadamia oil

Macadamia oil is a natural oil extracted by cold pressing the seeds of the homonymous plant (Macadamia Integrifolia Muller).

We are talking about an evergreen tree belonging to the Proteaceae family, native to the south-eastern forests of Australia. The macadamia is now cultivated in the areas of origin, but also in Hawaii, in Mexico and in some African regions; the purpose of the plantations is to produce and market the fruits, known as macadamia nuts.

Enclosed by a particularly tough brownish shell, the almond is particularly rich in oily substances. Thus, through a pressing process, an oil particularly rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (50-60%) is obtained, with an excellent yield, equal to about 80%.

Macadamia oil recognizes important applications in both food and cosmetics. It is characterized by a light amber color and low acidity, which positively affects the flavor, which is very pleasant and with nuances of walnut (obviously in the refined product).
As reported below, macadamia oil is particularly rich in unsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid, the same content abundantly in olive oil. Also peculiar is the generous presence of palmitoleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid at 16 carbon atoms with a single unsaturation (therefore it belongs to the monounsaturated family).
Thanks to these characteristics, macadamia oil exhibits interesting eudermic properties. As such it is very similar in composition to the skin, which absorbs it easily given the similarity of its accidental content.

In the cosmetic field, macadamia oil is therefore used in moisturizing products for dry skin, in anti-aging cosmetics, in sun creams and even in massage oils. The resistance of this oil to oxidation processes is also good, guaranteed. from the unsaponifiable fraction (rich in vitamins and phytosterols), from the prevalence of monounsaturated over polyunsaturated ones and from the refining processes (naturally, crude macadamia oil would degrade very quickly, especially if exposed to heat and light sources). , Macadamia oil also represents the basis for the production of derivatives, such as Ethyl Macadamiate and PEG-16 macadamia glycerides.

Macadamia oil: acidic composition

• Saturated fatty acids:
• palmitic acid C16: 0 from 9 to 10%.
• C18: 0 stearic acid from 3.5 to 6%.
• arachidic acid C20: 0 from 2.4 to 3.7%.
• Unsaturated fatty acids:
• palmitoleic acid C16: 1 from 18 to 28%.
• oleic acid C18: 1 from 50 to 56%.
• linoleic acid C18: 2 from 2.8 to 3.4%. (omega 6 family)

The aforementioned resistance to oxidation makes macadamia oil particularly suitable for frying (smoke point 210 ° C). In this sense, it represents an "excellent alternative" to olive oil and other oils resistant to high temperatures (peanuts, sunflower oil rich in oleic, palm oil and palm kernel). Consumed raw, due to the high presence of palmitoleic acid, Macadamia oil is less suitable than traditional olive oil and other seed oils.

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