Almond Oil, sweet

Master plant: Prunus dulcis (MILL.)WEBB. (Amygdalus communis L.)
Rosaceae (Rose family)
Oleum Amygdalae
INCI: Prunus amygdalus dulcis

Origin:

The native region of the almond tree is Southwest Asia. Nevertheless, for centuries the almond tree has been cultivated in the warm regions of the Mediterranean countries as well as in California, Southern Australia and South Africa.
The dry, paring free almonds are pressed with ambient temperature. Sweet as well as bitter almonds make for the fat almond oil. The press residues that are used as almond bran in commercial trade, still contain 10% fatty oils.

Characteristics and substances:

Pale yellow to colorless oil which is mildly oily in taste. The main componends of the almond oil are oleic and linoleic acid (over 50%). The cold-pressed oil is free of Amygdalin, a cyanide glycoside. Almond oil becomes easily rancid and, hence, is mostly offered in refined quality.

Applications:

Almond oil is one of the most valuable oils. In the kitchen almond oil is used mainly for salads and because of its slight almond flavor also for the preparation of desserts. Due to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids, it is indeed suitable for frying, but actually too precious for it.

Also available as organic oil.