**Table 1.**

*Proximate compositions of oilseeds.*

#### **Table 2.**

*Mineral compositions of oilseeds.*

#### **Figure 3.**

the production, with Malaysia, China and Indonesia as the highest world suppliers of oil palm [16, 21] (**Figure 4**). Other important tropical oilseed crops are groundnut oil, coconut, cotton, neem seed, paw paw seed, etc. Most of the tropical oilseeds are underexploited but very important in traditional folk medicine, especially the oilseeds from the family Anacardiacea, e.g. *Anacardium excelsum*, *Anacardium giganteum*, *Anacardium spruceanum, Anacardium humile*, *Anacardium occidentale* as well as other lesser known oilseeds such as *Lannea microcarpa, Pistacia vera* L. and *Sclerocaryabirrea* (A. Rich.) Hochst [22] (**Figure 5**).

Indonesia and Malaysia produced 85% of the world palm oil supply in 2017 with Indonesia supplying about 53% while Malaysia supplied 32%. China majored mainly on the rapeseed and groundnuts and was also the major producer of soybean oil in 2017 with about 30% contribution to the global supply chain [24]. Three tropical countries (Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand) accounted for approximately 87% of the global palm oil supply in 2017. With the trend in global oilseed supply, it is expected that sunflower oil supply will decline in 2022 due to the Russian-Ukrainian war. Unfortunately, the three major producers of sunflower oil (Ukraine, Russia and Argentina) lies entirely on the temperate region, which will put a heavy demand on

*Global major producers of soybean oil. Source: Shahbandeh [1].*

*Processing of Oilseeds in the Tropics: Prospects and Challenges DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106247*

#### **Figure 4.**

*Consumption of vegetable oils worldwide from 2013 to 2022 (in million metric tons). Source: Shahbandeh [1]. https://www.statista.com/statistics/263978/global-vegetable-oil-production-since-2000-2001/.*

sunflower oil from the temperate region. Therefore, the tropical countries could take up this opportunity to improve on their production capacities for increased market demand (**Figure 6**).

#### **4.1 Health implication of oilseed crops**

Oilseeds are sources of vegetable oils and fats that provide vital nutritional function in diets, both as a store of energy and as vital component in body nutrition. The oilseeds are sources of vitamin E, fiber, niacin, foliate, iron, phosphorous, and magnesium. The peanuts provide monounsaturated fatty acids, while sunflower and soybean are source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, among others. According to [13], fats and oils contribute more than 39% of the body's calories [17]. The fat may act as

**Figure 6.** *World production of main vegetable oils by main producers (2012–2022). Source: Shahbandeh [1].*

co-factors in vitamin biosynthesis, especially the fat-soluble vitamins, in the supply of essential fatty acids (EFA – our body do not synthesize them but must be obtained from other sources) important in the formation of eicosanoids that serves as signaling substances. It has been established that essential fatty acids, with its associated log-chain derivatives, is important in new tissue formation in the membrane [12]. Essential fatty acids have been associated with brain development, retinal function and nervous system function. Particularly, body fats is an endocrine gland that is involved in the production of signaling molecules for the prevention of fat accumulation in heart, muscles, pancrease, and any other body tissues [25].

The amount of different fatty acids as well as the fat total amount in our food intake greatly influences our health. The emphases on the ratio of the intake of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids have advocated to be more important than levels of intake of individual fatty acids, although Omega-6 fatty acids have proven to be more vogue due to changing dietary lifestyles [12]. Dietary reference value (DRV) has been recommended for average age brackets in United Kingdom (UK). However, since 1986/87, average intakes of saturated fatty acids has continued to decline in the UK, for men (16.5% food energy) and women (17.17.0% food energy), it was observed vey that intakes still exceeded the Daily Reference Value (DRV) of 11% between 2000 and 2001 survey, suggesting the need for further decrease in the consumption of saturated fatty acids in the UK population. The DRV of fatty acids in developing worlds is still a mirage due to paucity of information in that regard.

It is important to note that excessive consumption of foods with saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids have been corroborated with increased blood cholesterol levels, a risk factor associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Conversely, the mono unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) decrease the cholesterol levels responsible for CVD, e.g. low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) likewise decrease the LDL-C [1].

The meals from rapeseed, peanut, flaxseed, and soybean are known to provide complete amino acids in diets as they are mixed with other food sources such as cereal grains [17]. Hemp seed oil provides EFA as a cofactor in vitamin assimilation; mustard seed oil could be vital in rheumatoid and arthritic pains (muscle pain). Sawar et al. [17] asserted that the application of mustard oil to scalp enhances hair growth. The health implication of the deficiencies of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and the derivatives (prostaglandins) are common and is related to dysfunctional enzyme systems (or genetic disorder) that are immune-system related, as the ratio of consumption of essential fatty acids confers strong immune system and healthy

*Processing of Oilseeds in the Tropics: Prospects and Challenges DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106247*

smooth skin. Most of the oilseed crops, tropical oilseeds inclusive, provide adequate supply of vitamin E (antioxidant) carotene, phytosterols, phospholipids, and some minerals such as magnesium, calcium sulfur, potassium, and moderate amounts of zinc, and iron [17]. Rapeseed with about 43% oil and a meal of more than 41% crude protein is therefore an essential oilseed crop due to the array of function performed by protein-rich foods from fatty acid substrates as they acts as hormones, enzymes, tissue structural components, antibodies and as a blood protein [17]. Rapeseed oil are mainly mono unsaturated fatty acids and have been genetically modified to produce cooking oils for food processing applications [26, 27].

Other oilseed crops have been solely used for medicinal purposes, in addition to serving as a traditional culinary spice for ages, e.g. mustard seed (*Brassica juncea*), *cucmeropsismannii, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, Lagenariasicer* aria *and Cucumissativus*. Mustard seeds provide peridoxine (B6-vitamin), pantothenic acid, thiamin, folates, etc. The vitamin B-complex synthesizes enzymes, aids nervous system function and regulates metabolism in the body [19]. Most oilseeds serve in the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Thus, biotechnological research approach through breeding and genetics have been applied in the production of sitostanol enriched soy and canola oils [22].