DEVELOPMENT OF COSMETIC GRADE OIL AND DERIVATIVES FROM LESOQUERELLA FENDLERI SEED

THE TRIGLYCERIDE SEED OIL OF LESQUERELLA FENDLERI CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 55% LESQUEROLLIC (14-HYDROXY, CIS-11-EICOSENOIC) ACID, WHICH RESEMBLES RICINOLEIC ACID FOUND IN CASTOR OIL. L. FENDLERI HAS SHOWN PROMISE AS A NEWINDUSTRIAL CROP FOR ARID LANDS WITH THE POTENTIAL OF REPLACING CASTOR OIL, A STRATEGIC MATERIAL WHICH IS 100% IMPORTED. THE UNIQUE COMPOSITION OF LESQUERELLA OIL SUGGESTS ITS USE IN A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO DEVELOP A HIGHLY REFINED OIL FROM LESQUERELLA WHICH WILL QUALIFY AS AN INGREDIENT IN THE VALUEADDED SPECIALTY RAW MATERIAL MARKET AND LIKEWISE SERVE AS A FEEDSTOCK FOR CHEMICAL CONVERSION TO OTHER HIGH VALUE ADDED INDUSTRIAL INGREDIENTS. COLD PRESS SOLVENT FREE EXTRACTION PROCEDURES WILL BE EMPLOYED TO OBTAIN THE QUALITY OF OIL FORCOSMETIC APPLICATIONS. RESEARCH TO VERIFY OPTIMUM TECHNIQUES FOR NEUTRALIZATION, DEGUMMING, BLEACHING, AND DEODORIZING THE OIL WILL BE DETERMINED AND A COSMETICALLY ACCEPTABLE STABILIZING SYSTEM DEVELOPED. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS WILL BE CONDUCTED TO VERIFY THE SAFE USE OF OIL IN COSMETIC FORMULAS CONTACTING HUMAN SKIN AND EYE AREAS.