**Collection of Seeds:**
– Bunches of fruit are plucked from Schleichera oleosa trees.
– Fruit pulp is removed by rubbing the fruits in water.
– Pulp is dried to extract seeds.
– Seeds are collected for oil extraction.
– Seeds are processed to obtain kusum oil.
**Oil:**
– Kusum oil contains oleic acid, stearic acid, gadoleic acid, and arachidic acid.
– The oil has cyanogenic compounds that need removal for consumption.
– Linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and hydrocyanic acid are present in the oil.
– Kusum oil is semi-solid with a bitter almond odor.
– It has specific values for moisture, saponification, iodine, and acid content.
**Uses:**
– Kusum oil is used in hairdressing.
– It serves as cooking oil and lighting fuel.
– The oil is utilized in traditional medicine.
– Kusum oil is applied as a massage oil for pain relief.
**See Also:**
– Schleichera oleosa is the botanical name for the kusum tree.
– Kusum oil is derived from the seeds of the kusum tree.
– The tree is native to India.
– Kusum oil is also known as Macassar Oil.
– Gardentia is another name for kusum oil.
**References:**
– Various sources provide information on kusum oil.
– The Latin term “oleosus” relates to oiliness.
– Standards for kusum oil are documented in IS 4088 (1966).
– Studies on kusum oil’s chemical aspects have been conducted.
– Research on kusum oil methyl ester as an alternative fuel is available.
Kusum oil is a type of oil extracted from the seed of the Kusum tree (Schleichera oleosa). The plant, which is also commonly known as Ceylon oak, lac tree, or Macassar oiltree, belongs to the family Sapindaceae. The sapindaceae family is named after J. C. Schleicher, a Swiss botanist, and the species name means "oily" or "rich in oil." The tree is native to South Asia, but is also found in some parts of Southeast Asia.
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