Stillingia oil facts for kids
Stillingia oil is a special kind of oil that comes from the seeds of certain trees. These trees belong to a group called the Triadica genus. Two main trees are the Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) and the Mountain tallow tree (Triadica cochinchinensis).
This oil is known as a "drying oil". This means it can harden when exposed to air. Because of this, it's often used to make paints and varnishes. It's important to know that this oil is not for eating. It is believed to be harmful in China.
Stillingia oil is different from "stillingia tallow". The tallow is a waxy, fatty substance that covers the seeds. The oil is extracted from the seeds themselves after the tallow is removed.
The oil got its name a long time ago. Back then, the trees it came from were called Stillingia plants. Their scientific names were "Stillingia sebifera" and "Stillingia discolor". Over time, scientists learned more about these plants. They reclassified them into different groups. First, they were moved to the Sapium genus. Later, around 2002, they were reclassified again into the Triadica genus. The second tree's name also changed to "cochinchinensis".
Stillingia oil usually takes about 4 to 6 hours to dry. The seeds from these trees produce a good amount of oil. About 10-17% of the seed's weight is stillingia oil. They also produce 20-30% of the tallow fat.
What's Inside Stillingia Oil?
The exact mix of things in stillingia oil can change. It depends on how old the seeds are and how the oil is taken out. The main parts of fresh stillingia oil are special fats called triglycerides. These triglycerides are made up of different kinds of fatty acids.
Here are some of the fatty acids found in stillingia oil:
| Fatty acid | Percentage |
|---|---|
| trans-2,cis-4-decadienoic acid (C10:2) | 8% |
| lauric acid (C12:0) | 3.5% |
| palmitic acid (C16:0) | 8-9% |
| heptadecanoic acid (C17:0) | 1.8% |
| stearic acid (C18:0) | 2.5-4% |
| oleic acid (C18:1) | 8-16% |
| linoleic acid (C18:2) | 25-29% |
| linolenic acid (C18:3) | 40-45% |
| arachidic acid (C20:0) | trace |
Scientists have studied stillingia oil for many years. In the 1950s, they found a unique fatty acid called 2,4-decadienoic acid. This acid was thought to help the oil dry and harden. Later studies also found a lot of a vitamin-like substance called γ-tocotrienol.
More recent studies have shown slightly different compositions. For example, one study in 2009 found more oleic acid and some other fatty acids like lauric acid and heptadecanoic acid. It also found small amounts of phospholipids and glycolipids. These are other types of fats. Scientists are still working to understand why these differences appear in the oil's makeup.
