Mustard

MUSTARD

Synonyms

Sarson ka tel.

Biological Source

It is a fixed oil obtained from matured seeds of Brassica nigra

Koch or Brassica juncea L. Czern, belonging to family Cruciferae (Brassicaceae).

Geographical Source

It is cultivated in India, China, Canada and England.

Description

It is yellow coloured liquid of strong acrid odour until refined, sp. gr. 0.914–0.923, saponification value 173–184, iodine value 96–194 and unsaponifiable matter 0.9–1.0%.

                           Brassica nigra

Chemical Constituents

Mustard oil contains glycerides of arachidic (0.5%), behenic (2–3%), eicosenoic (7–8%), erusic (40–60%), lignoceric (1–2%), linoleic (14–18%), linolenic (6.5–7.0%), oleic (20–22%) and myristic (0.5–10%) acids.

Black mustard seeds contain 35–40% of fixed oil and a glycoside known as sinigrin alongwith an enzyme myrosin. Allyl isothiocynate is responsible for the strong acrid smell of volatile oil of mustard produced on hydrolysis of glycoside.

Uses

Fixed oil is used as edible oil after refining, but medicinal properties are due to allyl isothiocynate, which is a local irritant and emetic. If applied externally, it is rubefacient and vasicant. It is also used as condiment and in manufacture of soap. Refined mustard oil is used in vegetable ghee.

Marketed Products

Dabur Mustard oil is the one of the purest mustard oil that has a variety of uses. It is also one of the ingredients of the preparation known as Saaf Organic Eraser Body Oil.