GEOGRAPHICAL LAND OF ARGAN OIL
Argan oil is a natural resource which can be found in the country of Morocco. With the continuous rise of its popularity, more and more countries are learning about this special plant and what benefits it can have to the people who use it. Many countries are also very interested in making argan an economic booster.
The Moroccan community is not selfish to keep argan oil for themselves, but there is a definite advantage if they are recognized as the original and only exporter of this crop. Making argan as a Geographical Indication is big boost to the Moroccan economy. This would mean that even if there would be other countries that would make or create an argan tree farm, it would be known to the world that the quality of the product directly produced from Morocco would be entirely different from all other argan oil products in the world.
It is like a product’s copyright saying, “I am the original.” Nothing else will lift up the reputation of argan oil other than having its mark stamped on the map. However, there are still a few more considerations that ORIGIN has to think about before giving it to Argan. What makes argan so special? Can it take care of its resources? How can it pledge the stability of its production with all of the world’s demand? Can it create an equal opportunity for the Berbers and the foreign organizations invested in argan oil? What will be the environmental and societal, even economic, effects of making argan a GI? As for starters, the question would come to quantity. Let us say that the quality is assured saying that the extraction of the argan oil has been a tradition of Berbers for a few centuries now.However, with all of the world’s demand and a very constrained or limited source of the argan oil, how can it sustain supply to its consumers? We cannot create a deficit that will only favor one part of the world. On the other hand, with the help of GI, argan will get the help of the European Union to protect its resources. It will also provide opportunities for Berber women to alleviate their status. Since the tradition has been for women to extract the oil from the nuts, cooperatives in Morocco only have women as its members. Also, their type of cooperative is not like the traditional business structure. Every woman is considered to have a shared income with the whole cooperative.
This will also give them an advantage as they will be introduced to many advanced technologies that will be provided for the preservation of the standards of the quality of the argan oil. In the many disputes about making argan a geographical indication, most are siding this idea. With the protection from EU and the World Trade to argan trees plus the assurance to these Berber women, there are more benefits in making it a GI than not.
Ingredients Of argan Oil:
100% pure, organic, unrefined and cold pressed Argan Oil [Grade A purity]. Harvested and made in Morocco, January 2014 [batch number stamped on each and every bottle]. Rich in anti-aging Vitamin E and free from parabens, preservatives, fragrances, additives and colorants. This is a 100% natural product, produced by hand and gathered sustainably using the fruits of the Argan Tree, found deep in the Souss Valley, Morocco. To protect the oil’s healing and restorative properties, it is stored in a brown, opaque glass bottle.
100 ml of argan oil contain: | |
|---|---|
Energy value | 3700 kJ / 900 kcal |
Protein | 0 mg |
Carbohydrates | 0 mg |
Cholesterol | 0 mg |
Fat | 100 |
of which saturates | 19 g |
with monounsaturated fatty acids | 46 g |
with polyunsaturated fatty acids | 35 g |
Vitamin E / tocopherols | 75 mg |
Oleic acid | 48 mg |
Linoleic acid | 35 mg |
ISO 5508
As with all natural products, the results can vary from one analysis to another. Source: Official Laboratory of chemical analysis and research of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Kingdom of Morocco. Argan: The life expectancy is on average 250 years.
Fatty acid composition (ISO 5508) | |
|---|---|
Palmitic acidC16:0 | 12,20 % |
Palmitic acid C16:1 | 0,10 % |
Stearic acid C18:0 | 5,30 % |
Oleic acid C18:1 | 45,40 % |
Linoleic acid C18:2 | 35,40 % |
Linoleic acid C18:3 | 0,20 % |
Arachidic acid C20:0 | 0,30 % |
Eicosenoic acid C20:1 | 0,40 % |
Argan oil smell
Good quality and pure raw Argan Oil should not have a strong odor. It has a light barely noticeable aroma. Besides the fact that its healing and nutritive agents are not lost in the process of extraction, raw Argan Oil has been destined for cosmetic use because it does not have an objectionable smell for personal use.
The presence of a strong odor in cosmetic Argan Oil might be due to the following reasons: Not cold pressed (culinary Argan oil) Pulp and shell were not removed properly prior to extraction Pounded out of poor quality, over-ripe, rotten, molded or old Argan nuts Poor production method; manual extraction with water addition Not decanted enough; significant presence of sediments and depotDiluted. ImpureRancid. Infected with bacteriaOld, with expired shelf life
Culinary Argan oil
Our Argan oil, toasted Argan oil, alimentary Argan oil, roasted Argan oil, or food grade Argan oil, is pounded out of lightly roasted kernels to bring out their distinctive flavor and nutty aroma.
Before extraction, Argan kernels are roasted on low fire, while stirring from time to time. Argan kernels should not be in direct contact with flames during the roasting process. They are very thin and can burn easily. Culinary Argan oil pressed out of over-roasted or burned kernels has a rather unpleasant flavor.
Culinary Argan oil is destined solely for flavoring, salad seasoning, or cooking. Besides being an exquisite delish, culinary Argan oil has numerous healthful benefits such as lowering cholesterol levels, improving blood circulation, and preventing cancer.
Culinary Argan oil is sometimes mistakenly used for cosmetic purposes. This is not recommended for the following reasons:
- Anti-aging and healing properties are lost when the kernels are exposed to heat during roasting
Heat releases a natural nutty aroma that some people find overbearing for personal use