Investigation on the Microbiological Quality and Fatty Acid Methyl Esters Composition of Commercially Available Cold-pressed Nigella sativa L. Oil

Background: Nigella sativa is a traditional plant with several ethno-medicinal activities. There have been several health advantages associated with Nigella sativa (Ns) L. oil, which has a high concentration of bioactive compounds.Method: This research aimed to examine the fatty acid methyl ester profiles, microbiological profiles, and aflatoxin profiles of cold-pressed Ns oils acquired from Turkish herbalists. For this, the fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs) content and microbiological purity of 10 different Ns oils were examined.Results: The principal FAME components in Ns seed oils were linoleic (C18:2), oleic (C18:1), and palmitic acid (C16:0), with relative percentages of 34.17-57.54%, 19.41-30.52%, and 7.05-12.54%, respectively. The quantity of total saturated fatty acids (SFA) in all investigated oils ranged from 11.47 to 18.69%, while the amount of total unsaturated fatty acids ranged from 80.94 to 88.53%. Six of ten products (0.35-1.49%) were found to contain cis-11 eicosenoic acid, a chemical unique to Ns oil.Conclusion: Although no Aflatoxin was found in any of the samples, Enterobacteriaceae levels were exceptionally low, and yeast mold concentrations surpassed the Turkish Food Codex's permissible limit values.