Combretum collinum, Combretum micranthum, Combretum nigricans, and Combretum niorense are abundant unconventional seed oils of the African savannah. In this study, the proximate, mineral, amino acid, fatty acid, and triacylglycerol compositions of the four seed oils were quantified, and the oxidative and physicochemical properties were investigated. The amino acid, fatty acid, and triacylglycerol compositions were determined by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography respectively. Carbohydrates (57.35%–64.20%) followed by crude oils (20.07%–22.60%), proteins (11.95%–15.86%), and ashes (3.78%–6.19%) were the main constituents of the four seed species. The highest ash, crude fat, and protein contents were found in C. collinum, C. nigricans, and C. niorense, respectively. All four seed species were rich in Ca, K and Mg, and poor in methionine, cysteine, and lysine. The four seed oils had high saponification values (198.46–202.71 mgKOH/g), low acidity (1.12–2.26 mg of KOH/g of oil), and peroxide values (1.19–1.98 mEqO2/kg of oil). The seed oils of C. micranthum and C. collinum exhibited the highest thermal oxidative stability (8.10 and 9.79 h at 160°C). Oleic (40.49%–56.69%), palmitic (15.17%–24.27%) and linoleic (9.49%–14.50%) acids were the predominant fatty acids of the four seed oils. The results showed that the four seed species and seed oils had good chemical composition and physicochemical properties making them suitable for food and non-food application.

Combretum collinum, Combretum micranthum, Combretum nigricans, and Combretum niorense, seed oil