Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the nutritional composition and evaluate the health efficacy of seed kernel essential oil from wild Prinsepia utilis Royle grown in Lijiang region, Yunnan province, China. The routine physicochemical properties, hygiene indexes, amino acid composition, fatty acid composition and mineral elements of the oil were assayed by the internationally recognized methods. The moisture and volatile matter content, refractive index, relative density, iodine value, saponification value, acid value and peroxide value of the oil, identified as a non-volatile oil, were 0.03%, 1.4716(n20), 0.9260(d2020), 45.91, 0.02%, 0.17 mg KOH/g and 1.20 mmol/g, respectively. The total content of 17 amino acids was 46.97%, including 7 essential amino acids (Ile, Leu, Lys, Met, Phe, Thr and Val) with a total content of 13.2%, accounting for 28.1% of total amino acids. The oil was rich in VA (3.257 mg/ 100 g), VD (1.745 mg/ 100 g), VE (8.736 mg/ 100 g) and β-carotene (1.234 mg/100 g). The content of K was the highest of 13 mineral elements tested, reaching 9.8 mg/kg. The content of unsaturated fatty acids was 78.35%, mainly oleic acid and linoleic acid with the same content of 38%. The proportion of saturated to monounsaturated to polysaturated fatty acids was 0.7:1:1, suggesting a well-balanced nutritional structure. Moreover, all indexes tested were in line with the national edible soybean oil standard GB/T 1535－2003 and the Codex-Stan 210. In light of these results, we conclude that seed kernel essential oil from wild Prinsepia utilis Royle grown in Lijiang region is a natural nutritional oil suitable for human consumption.

Key words: wild Prinsepia utilis, nutritional, unsaturated fatty, amino acid, mineral element, vitamin