Abstract

The chemical analysis revealed that canary melon seed (Cucumismelo) oil extracted using the solvent extraction method has saponification values, unsaponifiable matter content, acid value, peroxide values, free fatty acids, iodine, refractive index and specific gravity (SG) of 190.1 mg KOH g-1, 4.1 g/kg-1, 2.99 mg KOH g-1, 6.92 meq O2 kg-1, 2.56%, 109.63 Wij’s, 1.445 and 0.94, respectively. The percentage oil yield was 50.29% and oil was liquid at room temperature 30°C. Physical and sensory properties of canary oil showed the extracted canary melon seed oil was cream in colour, clear without impurities, light textured with fruity smell. Antimicrobial activity of canary melon seed oil was determined using the agar well diffusion method. Antibacterial and antifungal activity test of canary melon seed oil on twelve (12) clinical isolates showed that all the tested strains were susceptible to the oil. The investigation further revealed that the seed oil exhibited inhibitory effect on the growth of gram positive and gram negative clinical isolates tested. The seed oil showed moderate antibacterial activity with the average zone of inhibition of 9-12 mm. Streptococcus pyogenes (14 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (15 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13 mm) and Escherichia coli (16 mm) was strongly inhibited. Canary melon seed oil was also found to have strong inhibitory activity against the growth of Aspergillusflavus (17 mm) and Candida albicans (18 mm). The results indicated that canary melon seed oil has potential for nutritional and antimicrobial purposes.