2.2. Oil extraction
Pumpkin seed oil extraction was carried out according to the
mechanical cold expeller method (El-Adawy and Taha, 2001) but
with a slight difference. Seed samples (50 g) were milled in a heavyduty
grinder with 250 ml of petroleum ether and mixed using a
shaker (GLF, Germany) at a rate of 160 rpm for 4 h. The mixture
was then centrifuged for 15 min at a temperature of (4 ◦C). The
supernatant was then filtered through a Whattman filter paper
(0.45 m). The extraction procedure was repeated twice and the
solvent was removed using a rotary evaporator at 40 ◦C. The seedoil obtained was drained under a nitrogen stream (N2) and was then
stored in a freezer at (−20 ◦C) for subsequent analysis.