Blotting Method to Determine Oil Content in Mustard Seeds: A Solution to Asymmetries in the Mustard Seed Economy

Abstract

Determining oil content in mustard seeds is a time consuming and expensive process, often inaccessible to the common farmer. The proposed oil blot methodology has the potential to be used in low income, remote settings as a first estimate of the oil content in the mustard seed crop. Oil blots were formed by pressing oil out of the seed onto an adsorptive surface using a repeatable force from a vise grip. The area of the blots was an indicator of oil content. While the oil blot methodology would not replace industry standard methods such as Soxhlet extraction, it serves as an accessible, non-specialized method to provide a first-estimate result. This was proved using a Pearson Correlation test (r = 0.95) and t-statistic comparison. The positive significance values show a strong, positive linear correlation between oil content and blot areas. It was determined that the ideal tool for the oil blot methodology was a vise grip due to its repeatability, portability, and low bulk cost. The total cost of the kit was $0.90 with low recurring costs. The extreme simplicity, low capital, and operating cost, make the oil blotting method a valuable tool for small mustard seed producers for estimating the fair value of their crop, reducing their potential exploitation by middlemen.