White mustard is a self-sterile species, easily recognised by its hairy stem, devoid of any bloom. It has irregularly pinnate leaves, large yellow flowers that are spreading, and few-seeded and hairy pods. These have long, empty, knife-like beaks. The seeds are large, white and lightly pitted and give a considerable amount of mucilage with cold water. S.alba is a native of southern Europe and Western Asia. It is grown only as a garden crop, in temperate northern India, during the winter. In India, it does not contribute to the supplies of mustard or mustard oil.
Composition
-
The seeds contain—moisture: 7.2%; protein: 27.6%; crude fat: 29.7%, N-free extract: 20.8%; fibre:10.3%; and ash: 4.5%. The seeds also contain the glucoside, sinablin, and the enzyme myrosin. In the presence of water, myrosin hyrdrolyses sinablin, producing acrinyl isothiocyanate, (which is only slightly volatile), sinapine acid sulphate and dextrose. The yield of volatile oil is low (0.16%).
Uses:
-
The seeds of B. alba are rarely used alone, they are usually mixed with black mustard in the preparation of mustard. They are not much used for the extraction of oil. In Europe, the oil-cake is used for fattening sheep. The young leaves and tender shoots are used as a pot-herb. The species is sometimes cultivated for green manure.
Black mustard is highly self-sterile and is quite distinct from other brassicas. The fruits at maturity are closely appressed to the inflorescence axis. The seed-coat shows fine reticulations under a lens, and is mucilaginous. The outer epidermis is covered with a thin cuticle. B. nigra has been cultivated in Europe since the 13th century and is now reported to be growing wild. It appears to have been introduced only comparatively recently into India and is a cold season crop, grown to a limited extent in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Tamil Nadu. It does not contribute to the supplies of mustard oil.
Composition
-
The seeds contain—moisture: 7.6%; N-substances: 29.1%; N-free extract: 19.2%; ether extract: 28.2%; crude fibre: 11% and ash: 5%. The seeds yield 23-33% of the fixed oil. The volatile oil of mustard (Sp. gr.: 1.015-1.025; Ref. Index 1.5267-1.5291) is obtained in yield of 0.7-1.2% after the hydrolysis of the glucoside, sinigrin, (potassium myronate), by the enzyme myrosin (Indian seeds are reported to yield 0.68% volatile oil). The oil is optically inactive and consists almost entirely of allyl-isothiocyanate (93.99%). The specifications for the pharmaceutical oil are (BPC), Sp. gr.: 1.0144.025; n/20°: 1.525-1.530; and allyl-isothiocyanate content: not less than 92%. For the preparation of volatile oil, the fixed oil is first expressed from the seeds, which are subsequently macerated with tepid water for several hours, and steam distilled. The oil obtained is an extremely powerful irritant owing to its volatility and penetrating power, and is responsible for the painful nature of alcohol. It is also used in cases of pleurisy and pneumonia.
Uses:
-
Black mustard is ground with white mustard for preparing table mustard and also various medicinal mustard preparations, such as a mustard bath, mustard bran, and mustard flour. The expressed oil has mild rubefacient properties and is used as a liniment. The technical oil obtained during the preparation of mustard also contains the oil from white mustard seeds. In Europe, it is used for making soap, for burning and as a lubricant. In India, seeds of black mustard are used in pickles and curries.
Indian mustard is also a self-fertile species, and is a very variabie annual. Its narrow-based leaves are not stem-clasping like those of a toria and sarson. Rai matures later than either. The seeds are rugose, reddish-brown, and generally smaller. There are two races of rai: a tall, late race and a short, early race. The latter is again divided into rough-leaved and smooth-leaved types. B. juncea is a common field crop of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal and is found in almost all the brassica areas of India. Its cultivation extends westwards to Egypt and Europe and eastwards to China. It is also cultivated in Afghanistan.
Composition
-
The seeds contain—moisture: 6.2%; fat: 35.5%; nitrogenous substances: 24.6%; N-free extract: 20.4%; crude fibre: 8.0%; ash: 5.3%. The oil content of the seeds is usually 30-38%. Certain forms cultivated in Uttar Pradesh and locally known as lahi, latha, have a higher oil content (42-43%). Commercial rai also contains some sarson. Some samples contain the seeds of var. crispifolia Bailey, which resemble those of var. rugosa. Widely varying figures have been given for the volatile oil content of B. juncea seeds (upto 2.9%). The volatile oil has the following characteristics¬Sp.gr.:0.995; Refractive Index: 1.5185: Optical Rotation: 0°12'. It is reported to contain allyl-isothiocyanate and related compounds, among which crotonyl isothiocyanate has been identified. A re¬examination of the volatile oil content of the seeds and their constituents is necessary.
Uses:
-
Rai is an efficient substitute for black mustard. The USP recognises this species also as mustard. 'Brown mustard' and the 'expressed oil of mustard prepared from the seeds of B. juncea are included in the IPC. The former should contain not less than 0.6% of allyl-isothiocyanate. In studies of the preservative properties of spices, condiments and herbs with respect to their effect on yeast fermentation in wines, etc., mustard flour was easily found the most efficacious.
|
Participants