Artichoke Oil

Artichoke has been only mainly as a forage crop for many years, but in recent years new applications have been discovered. The seeds of the artichoke plant can be used to obtain edible oil, while paper and pulp can be obtained from the stalks.

Artichoke oil is similar to the oils from sunflower and safflower in its composition. The approximate oil composition is as follows: 60% linoleic, 25% oleic, 12% palmitic and 3% stearic acid. While experiments are still on for this crop, initial experiments and analysis appear to show that this crop has potential for producing biodiesel.

·         Cynara Cardunculus as an Alternative Crop for Biodiesel Production (MS Word Document)

·         Feeding Ourselves or Driving Our Cars – the Tale of the Humble Artichoke – from Transition Culture