The present work was aimed to study the gross chemical composition of
Jatropha curcas L. seeds physical and chemical characteristics of Jatropha curcas L.
seed oil cultivated in Egypt during harvest season 2005 (first and second harvest).
The results can be summarized as follows: Jatropha curcas L. seeds contained 9.18, 8.81% moisture, 21.51 and 29.93%
crude oil, 16.41 and 17.92% crude protein, 29.44 and 23.63% crude fiber, 3.24
and 3.06% ash and 20.22 and 16.65% total carbohydrates in first and second
harvest, respectively. Physical and chemical properties of Jatropha curcas L. seed oil indicated that
refractive index, acid, peroxide, iodine values, k230 and 270 nm. and
unsaponifiable matter, were (1.4719 and 1.4723 at 25°C), (5.6 and 4.12 mg/g oil),
(0.36 and 0.27 mequiv.lkg oil), (109.11 and 111.93 b/100g oil), (2.89 and 2.12
nm.), (0.56 and 0.35 mm.), and (1.08 and 1.34%) in first and second harvest,
respectively. Fatty acids composition of Jatropha curcas L. seed oil was determined and the
results indicated that tt.e predominant unsaturated fatty acids in first and second
harvest of Jatropha curcas L. seed oil was oleic acid (47.29 and 45.07%) followed
by len oleic acid (30.68 and 33.07%), and also the major saturated fatty acid was
palmitic acid (13.45 and 13.83% then stearic acid (7.29 and 6.78%), respectively. Analysis of the unsaponifiable matter of Jatropha curcas L. seed oil by GLC
technique revealed that it contained 40.40 and 32.05% total hydrocarbons and
59.60 and 64.63% total sterols in first and second harvest, respectively.
However, the squaline compound was the highest amount of total hydrocarbons
(17.75 and 14.88%) while p-sitosterol was the major components of total sterols
(46.78 and 43.57% in first and second harvest, respectively.