164 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 



INDIAN ALMOND OIL 



The kernel is edible and yields about 50 per cent of Indian 

 almond oil, which is a sweet, savory, fixed oil. It closely resem- 

 bles the oil of sweet almonds, for which it could well be sub- 

 stituted. 



According to Lewkowitsch * the seeds of Terminalia catappa 

 (country almond) contain 48.3 per cent of oil. Hooper f states 

 that this oil has the following constants: 



Specific gravity at 15° C 0.9206 



Melting point, °C 3.5 



Saponification value 203.04 



Per cent. 



Iodine value 81.8 



Insoluble acids + unsaponifiable 95.2 



Titer test, °C 42 



Acid value 7.77 



Concerning this oil, Watt J says : 



The kernels yield a valuable oil, similar to almond oil in flavour, odour, 

 and specific gravity, but a little more deeply coloured; it deposits stearine 

 on keeping. It possesses the advantage of not becoming rancid so readily 

 as true almond oil, and if it could be produced cheaply would doubtless 

 compete successfully with it. As the tree is abundant everywhere and 

 the fruit could be doubtless obtained very cheaply, "Indian almond oil" 

 appears to merit the attention of dealers. It was first brought prominently 

 to notice by a Mr. A. T. Smith of Jessor, who in 1843 wrote to the 

 Agr.-Horticultural Society of India an account of its properties and method 

 of preparation. Oil, made experimentally by him, was expressed in the 

 common native mill — a sort of pestle and mortar — from some fruit gathered 

 during a few mornings from under the trees in the neighborhood. After 

 a sufficient quantity had been gathered and allowed to dry in the sun 

 for a few days, which facilitates breaking the nut, four coolies were 

 set to work with small hammers, to separate the kernels from their 

 shells. In four days they broke a sufficient quantity for one mill, 

 viz., 6 seei's. This quantity put into the mill produced in three hours 

 about 3 pucka seers of oil. Mr. Smith remarks that the actual pressing 

 of the oil is of no consideration, since the value of the oil-cake, to feed 

 pigs, etc., is sufficient to cover the expense, but that the breaking of the 

 nuts is a tedious and costly operation, and is a consideration requiring 

 particular attention, with a view to its reduction, if manufacture of the 

 oil on an extensive scale should be attempted. The product of the experi- 

 ment, filtered through blotting paper, was of the colour of pale sherry, a 

 circumstance which Mr. Smith explains is due to the rind being allowed 



* Lewkowitsch, J., Oils, fats, and waxes. Volume 3 (1915), page 451. 

 t Hooper, D., Annual report, Indian Museum, 1907-1908, page 13. 

 t Watt, G., A dictionary of the economic products of India, Volume 6, 

 Part 4 (1893), page 23. 



