Evaluation of the sensory properties, volatile aroma compounds and functional food potentials of cold-press produced mahaleb (Prunus mahaleb L.) seed oil

The aims of this study were to cold-press mahaleb seed, and then fully characterize the oil to extent its food and functional food applications. The novelty of this study relies upon the first data provided by the thermal analysis, sensory analysis, and volatile aroma compounds composition. The seeds were pressed with a screw-type single-head press with a maximum oil exit temperature of 40 °C. Most common physico-chemical properties, composition analyses, volatile aroma compounds profile, sensory descriptive analysis and consumer tests were completed. The main properties were appropriate and the composition (fatty acids, phytosterols and tocopherols) data concurred with the available literature. Thermal data were provided, and the oil peak crystallization and melting temperatures were −44.45 °C and −8.41 °C, respectively. There were 38 volatile aroma compounds quantified mostly with almond, green, vanillin, woody, and fermented aroma definitions. The panel described the oil with 5 sensory descriptive (almond, vanillin, dough, green, cooling) terms. Consumers liked appearance the most (4.49) with a general acceptance score of 3.70 on a 5-point hedonic scale. Overall, the mahaleb seed oil is a conjugated linolenic, oleic and linoleic fatty acids, β-sitosterol and γ-tocopherol rich, very aromatic, and consumer-liked sample. Further studies with various food applications are foreseen.