THE VALUE OF CORN OIL AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR 

 OLIVE OIL AND COTTONSEED OIL. 



H.v H. E. Pool and L. E. Sayke. 



CORN OIL may be considered as a by-product from cereal 

 manufacturing, and is made principally by the Corn Prod- 

 ucts Refining Company of New York. It is comparatively 

 cheap, being quoted at 50 cents per gallon for the refined 

 grade. Olive oil and cottonseed oil are quoted at $3 and 75 

 cents per gallon, respectively. 



The cheapness of corn oil suggests the possibility of wise 

 economy in substituting it in place of the more expensive oils 

 wherever this can be done without injury to the product in 

 which it may be employed. The investigation of this subject 

 embraces the following: 



First, a comparison of the chemical behavior- of the corn 

 oil with those of the other more expensive oils mentioned. 

 Second, a comparison of the products resulting from the sub- 

 stitution of corn oil for the other oils, in cases where the other 

 oils are prescribed, in such preparations, for example, as oint- 

 ments, liniments, plasters, etc., where the nature of the oil does 

 not have any physiological or therapeutical significance. 



In the examination and comparison of corn oil with other 

 oils the following data have been sought : 



I. Physical properties. 

 II. Saponification number. 

 III. Iodine absorption number. 



Corn oil has a pale yellow to a golden yellow color, a slight 

 characteristic odor, a pleasant taste, very similar to that of 

 freshly ground corn meal. The solubility in various solvents, 

 as absolute alcohol, acetone, and glacial acid, is as follows : 



Solubility at 15° C. in 100 parts by volume. 



Absolute alcohol 3 



Acetone 26 



Glacial acetic acid 3 



This compared to cottonseed oil and olive oil is as follows: 



Cottonseed oil. Olive oil 



Absolute alcohol 2 2 



Acetone 27 24 



Glacial acetic acid 4 3 



(41) 



