Percentage oil yield and physicochemical properties of five
different groundnut species (Valencia (Gargajiya), Virginia
(Kampala Mubi and Michika) and Runner (Kwachamba brown and red)
cultivated locally was determined. Results obtained showed that
Gargajiya species yielded the highest amount of oil (37.80
±
2.21%), closely followed by kampala michika (37.40
±
3.20%) while kwachamba brown yielded the lowest percentage of
oil (20.00
±
2.06). The physicochemical properties of the groundnut oils
showed that the crude kampala michika oil had significantly
higher free fatty acid and acid values (3.95
±
0.03% and 7.85
±
0.28 mg/KOH/g) compare to the lowest value observed in crude
kwachamba brown and kwachamba red (1.55
±
0.03% and 3.09
±
0.20 mg/KOH/g) respectively. The Saponification and iodine value
were highest in crude and refined Gragajiya oil (220.20
± 0.20 and 97.13
±
1.56 g/100 g respectively). There was no significant difference
at p
<
0.05 in the refractive index of all the samples. Peroxide value
was significantly higher at p
<
0.05 in crude kwachamba brown (25.03
±
0.07) compare to the lowest value observed in the same refined
kwachamba brown oil (1.30
±
0.02 mg/kg). Thus suggesting that though Gargajiya and Kampala
Mubi yielded highest, Kwachamba brown and kwachamba red are
better for human consumption in terms of their physicochemical
properties.
Key words:
Groundnut, varieties, oil content, chemical and physical
properties.