Safflower, Carthamus tinctorius L. - Bioversity International

32 Safflower. Carthamus tinctorius L.
foods and liquid nutrition formulations have used safflower oil. An oleic oil derivative,
methyl-oleate, sprayed on grapes on the vine to accelerate drying reduced the
risk of rain and the cost of producing sun-dried raisins (Smith 1996).
Safflower oil is an effective nonallergenic dispersant for injectable medications,
but not widely used (Smith 1996). In Iran, the oil is used in treatment of liver and
heart ailments (Knowles 1965). The oil is nonallergenic, making it ideal for cosmetics;
it is used in Macassar hair oil and Bombay sweet oil (Weiss 1971). Charred
safflower oil has been used to treat sores and rheumatism in India (Weiss 1971).
The commercialization of safflower in the 1950s was driven, in part, by the paint
and varnish industry. The oil’s properties (it has no linolenic acid, high linoleic acid and
low colour values, no wax, low free fatty acids and low unsaponifiables), contribute to
unsurpassed quality in paints, alkyd resins and coatings (Smith 1996). However, market
forces (less costly petroleum products and a shift to water-based paints) have limited
this use. Smith (1996) details potential industrial uses that have not developed
commercially. The oil has been used to waterproof leather buckets and as axle grease in
India (Knowles 1965), where it also is used for lighting and manufacture of soap (Weiss
1971). It is also used to manufacture ‘roghan’ (used to preserve leather), as glass cement,
to hold ornamental tiles in place and, dissolved in turpentine, for making Afridi cloth, a
form of batik work. The process for making ‘roghan’ from safflower differs little from
that using ‘pohli’ oil, described in Section 1.2.8 and the ‘roghan’ is similar (Weiss 1971).
Industrial uses of safflower oil may expand due to environmental concerns raised
by exclusive use of fossil fuels. Biodiesel and fuel additives, as well as uses such as
chainsaw-bar oil, may reduce pollutant effects of exhaust gases.
3.1.6 Meal
The meal left after oil extraction is used for animal feed. The residual fat varies with
the extraction method, from under 2% to 15%. Crude protein also varies: from 20-
25% for undecorticated meal to up to 42% if hulls are removed. Removal of hulls is
not generally economical and the meal commonly has 30-40% crude fibre, making it
unsuitable for monogastric animals such as swine and poultry. It has been used as
range cow cubes and in compounded feeds for cattle and other livestock (Smith 1996).
Although cattle apparently find safflower meal palatable, it has a bitter taste which
makes it unacceptable to humans. Protein isolates prepared from debittered meal can
be used to fortify bread, pasta and nutritional drinks. An energy bar produced in
China includes safflower amino acids, safflower yellow and Chinese crabapple.
3.1.7 Hulls
Markets for hulls have not been found and crushers generally leave the hulls in the meal
although removing them would lower the fibre content and raise the feed value of the
meal. Hulls were used for presto-logs for fireplaces in the early 1950s (Smith 1996).
Among the potential uses listed by Smith (1996), safflower hulls had no obvious
practical disadvantages in the following:
● filler for paper products – produces a dense, hard-surfaced product