Camelina sativa Composition, Attributes, and Applications: A Review

Camelina sativa seeds are rich in oil (30–49%) and protein (24–31%). They contain ω-3 acids, ω-6 acids, tocopherols, phytosterols, and phenolic compounds, among others. From an agricultural perspective, growing of this crop is of interest due to its short growth cycle and low fertilizer and water input requirements. Camelina is also tolerant to cold and drought and is consequently well adapted to grow in semiarid regions. Camelina is mainly cultivated for its oil in Europe and North America. In this review, the processes applied for camelina oil extraction, composition, and attributes, as well as the food and nonfood applications of camelina oil are reviewed. Applications include animal feed, functional foods, materials, biofuels, and agrochemicals. Valorization of the camelina protein found in the meal after the oil extraction is also discussed.

Practical Applications: The need to develop an integrated process consisting of a degumming step to extract the mucilage from the whole camelina seeds, followed by an oil extraction step, and finally by a protein extraction step is highlighted. There is also a need to develop food applications of camelina oil. More research works should also focus on the utilization of camelina oil in food applications and in specialty applications such as functional foods, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications.