6 BXTLLETIK 781, V. S. DEPAHl'MEl^T OF AGMCtJLTXJ'IlE. 



Summary of digestion experiments with apricot oil in a simple' mixed diet. 





Experiment No. 



Subject. 



Digestibility of entire ration. 



Estimated 

 digestibil- 





Protein. 



Fat. 



Carbo- 

 hydrate. 



Ash. 



ity of apri- 

 cot oil 

 alone. 



559 



H. R. G 



A.J. H 



Per cent. 

 64.0 

 15.2 

 67.5 

 66.3 



Per cent. 

 94.7 

 92.3 

 95.4 

 95,1 



Per cent. 

 95.3 

 96.1 

 97.5 

 96.8 



Per cent. 

 68.8 

 47,5 

 75.7 

 75.3 



Per cent. 

 99.7 



660 



96.4 



561 



P. K 



98.6 



562.. - ^ - 



C. J. W 



98.8 





Average 









53.3 



94.4 



96.4 



66.8 



9S.4 











The coefficients of digestibility of the diet as a whole are compar- 

 able to those obtained in other tests with edible oils, being 53,3 per 

 cent for protein, 94.4 per cent for fat, and 96.4 per cent for carbohy- 

 drate. On an average the subjects ate 23 grams of protein, 70 grams 

 of fat, and 372 grams of carbohydrate dailj^, which had an energy 

 value of 2,200 calories. The figure obtained for the digestibility of 

 apricot oil alone, 98.4 per cent, indicates that this oil possesses a high 

 nutritive value. In the tests referred to above, none of the subjects 

 reported any unusual phj^siological conditions resulting from the in- 

 gestion of apricot oil. The results of these experiments as a whole, 

 therefore, would seem to indicate that a high-grade cold-pressed 

 apricot oil may be freely and safelj^ used for edible purposes. 



CHERRY-KERNEL OIL. 



When cherry kernels are subjected to pressure and " cold pressed " a 

 light-yellow, bland, fatty oil is obtained. Lewkowitsch ^ reports that 

 in South Germany cold-pressed cherry-kernel oil is used for edible 

 purposes. He further says that the oil expressed at higher tempera- 

 ture is used for soap making and illuminating purposes, but that 

 cherry oil is not used as an adulterant of almond oil because of its 

 tendency to become rancid. 



In discussing the value and uses of cherry-kernel oil for other than 

 edible purposes, Eabak^ states that since this oil closely resembles 

 almond, peach, and apricot oil it should be well adapted for use in 

 pharmaceutical preparations. 



The cherry-kernel oil studied in the experiments here reported was 

 obtained by expression from dried cherry pits which were secured 

 through the courtesy of a large canning establishment. The kernels 

 were removed from the cherry pits by passing the pits through a 

 mill having vertical grinding plates so set as to crack the pits without 

 crushing the kernels. (The cracked pits were separated from the 



1 Chemical Technology and Analysis of Oils, Fats, and Waxes. 

 & Co. (Ltd.), 1909, vol. 2, p. 225. 



aU. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 350 (1916), pp. 8, 17. 



London : Macmillan 



