Impact of moisture on yield and stability study of Neem oil, Seed collected from different locations of India

The impact of moisture content on yield and study of stability at 25±2 °C/60 %RH±5 % and 40±2 °C/75 %RH±5 % of mechanically cold pressed neem seed kernel oil collected from four different location was examined. The Matured neem seed was obtained and the initial moisture and oil yield was determined in samples (Bihar (B1nk) 37.0%, Rajasthan (R1nk)34.2%, Tamilnadu (T1nk) 35.2%, Uttar Pradesh (UP1nk) 40.4%)using solvent extraction method in laboratory. The initial data of stability generated including organoleptic, moisture (%), acid value (mgKOH/g), Iodine value (g/ml), saponification value (mgKOH/g) and Azadirachtin content (ppm).The recorded moisture and oil yield was compared with the initial oil content and moisture of the seed kernels for all the four location kernels. As the moisture decrease the yield increase and vice versa. Thestability data was generated at both the temperature conditions for6 month of oil extracted from cold pressing to study effect of temperature and humidityon thequality and stability of stored neem oil. All the test results showed that physicochemical properties of neem oil met the specification limit and the oil was best to use even after 6 months with all its goodness properties intact.