Tea seed oil (also known ascamellia oil,camellia seed oil,teanut oil) is an edible plant oil. It is obtained from the seeds ofCamellia oleifera.
Camellia sasanqua is also given as a source of 'tea seed oil.[1]
The genusCamellia includes several commercially important species -Camellia oleifera is grown mainly in China forvegetable oil.[2] The oil is known as 'camellia oil', 'tea seed oil', or 'camellia seed oil'.[2] As of 2016 4,000,000 hectares (9,900,000 acres) ofoleifera forest centered on theYangtze river basin inHunan,Jiangxi, andGuangxi produces 0.26 million tons of oil.[2]
WildCamellia oleifera contains ~47% oil, whilst cultivated varieties have shown oil content from 42 to 53%.[3] Oil analysis of cultivated varieties showed : ~76-82%oleic acid; 5-11%linoleic acid; 7.5-10%palmitic acid; 1.5-3%stearic acid - the ratios are similar to that found in wildoleifera.[3] The composition is similar to that ofOlive oil.[2] Another analysis of several cultivars found : 82-84% unsaturated acids of which 68-77% oleic acid; and 7-14% polyunsaturated acids.[4]
With its highsmoke point of 252 °C (486 °F),[5] tea seed oil is the maincooking oil in some of the southern provinces ofPeople's Republic of China, such asHunan, especially in mountainous regions; roughly one-seventh of the country's population.
Tea seed oil should not be mistaken fortea tree oil (melaleuca oil), an inedibleessential oil extracted from the leaves of the paperbark,Melaleuca alternifolia, which is used for medicinal purposes.
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