Background

With a continuous increase in population and economic development, the demand for high quality seed oils keeps increasing in China. In the last decades, many minor edible oils become increasing and popular.

Scope and approach

In this review, the chemical composition and nutritional properties of minor edible oils, including flaxseed oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, camellia oil, safflower oil, almond oil, grape seed oil, walnut oil, perilla seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, evening primrose oil, Eucommia ulmoides Oliver seed oil, penoy seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil, Acer truncatum Bunge seed oil, Torreya grandis seed oil and tomato seed oil, were summarized. The characteristic chemical compositions of these 17 kinds of minor edible oils were analyzed from fatty acid composition, phytosterols, tocopherols, total phenolic content, squalene and β-carotene contents.

Key findings and conclusions

Different types of vegetable oils have their own specific advantages and biological activities, and appropriate vegetable oils can be selected to meet individual needs accordingly. For example, Acer truncatum Bunge seed oil contains 5.52% nervonic acid (C24:1) that can promote the repair and regeneration of nerve cells and tissues damaged, while corn oil and rice bran oil have higher contents of campesterol and total phytosterol and might be therefore better choices for patients with high cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases. This review could benefit comprehensive understanding nutritional values of minor vegetable oils and future researches on nutrition and product development.