Watermelon seed oil


Watermelon seed oil is extracted by pressing from the seeds of the Citrullus lanatus . It is particularly common in West Africa, where it is also called ootanga oil or kalahari oil. Watermelons most likely originated almost 5,000 years ago in the Kalahari Desert of Africa where botanists have found its wild ancestors still growing. Watermelons migrated north through Egypt, and during the Roman era they were cultivated and prized. Traditionally, the seeds are extracted from the seed casing, and dried in the sun. Once dried, the seeds are pressed to extract the oil.

Chemical composition

Watermelon seed oil contains high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic and oleic acids as the major acids.
Fatty acid composition of Watermelon seed oil
Fatty AcidPercent %
Palmitic acid11.0
stearic acid10.0
Oleic acid15.0
Linoleic acid63.0

Specifications of watermelon seed oil
charactervalue
Refractive Index 1.4630-1.4670
Iodine value115-125
Saponification value190-198
unsaponifiable matter1.5% max
Moisture0.5% max
colour 1/2"cell,20.0 units