serve as a natural vehicle for storing and stabilizing other biological lipophilic
compounds and can be instrumental in developing functional foods or can be used
as a vehicle for drug delivery. Oxidative stability of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the
cod liver oil can be enhanced by encapsulation in safflower oil (Fischer et al. 2014).
Safflower oil emulsions containing linoleic fatty acid can be employed as a good
source of dietary supplements intended for increasing metabolism in healthy weight
program. These supplements have the ability to increase metabolism rate and
support the healthy weight program containing linoleic fatty acid diets (Maru
2014). Apart from oral formulations safflower oil can also be used in paternal
emulsions and injectable medications owning to its non-allergic nature and find
clinical applications for nutritional and medical purposes (Floyd 1999; Yeh et al.
2000).
Owing to the diverse benefits and oxidative stability of safflower oil it can be
developed into different products, for example, organo-gels that are described as
semisolid systems with self-assembled gelation capabilities. Organo-gels containing
safflower are reported to be non-cytotoxic and capable of holding lipophilic compounds for a longer period of time along with efficient targeted delivery of active
components to the desired location (Khalid et al. 2017).
In dairy and cattle industry, safflower seeds are employed for increasing body
mass in milk production along with improving fatty acids profile in the milk of
various animals including sheep, goats, and cows (Alizadeh et al. 2012; Dschaak
et al. 2010). The whole seed of safflower has been used as a food source for poultry
(Goodman 1964). While safflower seed meal or cake is actively used as animal feed.
Safflower seed meal or cake has the potential to be used as human food if the bitter
parts are removed (Nagaraj 1995). Safflower seed meal in combination with
all-purpose flour in 1:3 proportion has been reported to be highly suitable for
manufacturing of protein-enriched biscuits consisting of 22% of the protein (Singh
and Abidi 2005).
Extracts from safflower seed meal have also been reported to act as natural
antimicrobial agents in fresh fruits and vegetables (Son et al. 2017). Extracts
inhibited the spread and growth of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes
on lettuce. Bacteria have been reported to contaminate the fruits and vegetables
contributing to the rotting of fruits and vegetables and on consumption producing
disease in humans.
Another interesting and important application of safflower is its utilization for the
production of recombinant products. Oil bodies obtained from oilseeds have been
exploited for a variety of biotechnology applications in past, mostly for producing
recombinant products especially proteins as it reduces purification steps and costs
associated with the production of heterogonous proteins. Recombinant proteins are
targeted to be attached to the oil bodies and such attachment permits the target
protein to be purified along with the oil body fraction, which upon centrifugation
floats to the surface of ground seeds/water slurry (Huang et al. 2017; Mündel and
Centre 2004).
Fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10) has been successfully expressed in safflower
seeds. FGF10 exhibits diverse biological functions and is extensively investigated in
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M. Nazir et al.
compounds and can be instrumental in developing functional foods or can be used
as a vehicle for drug delivery. Oxidative stability of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the
cod liver oil can be enhanced by encapsulation in safflower oil (Fischer et al. 2014).
Safflower oil emulsions containing linoleic fatty acid can be employed as a good
source of dietary supplements intended for increasing metabolism in healthy weight
program. These supplements have the ability to increase metabolism rate and
support the healthy weight program containing linoleic fatty acid diets (Maru
2014). Apart from oral formulations safflower oil can also be used in paternal
emulsions and injectable medications owning to its non-allergic nature and find
clinical applications for nutritional and medical purposes (Floyd 1999; Yeh et al.
2000).
Owing to the diverse benefits and oxidative stability of safflower oil it can be
developed into different products, for example, organo-gels that are described as
semisolid systems with self-assembled gelation capabilities. Organo-gels containing
safflower are reported to be non-cytotoxic and capable of holding lipophilic compounds for a longer period of time along with efficient targeted delivery of active
components to the desired location (Khalid et al. 2017).
In dairy and cattle industry, safflower seeds are employed for increasing body
mass in milk production along with improving fatty acids profile in the milk of
various animals including sheep, goats, and cows (Alizadeh et al. 2012; Dschaak
et al. 2010). The whole seed of safflower has been used as a food source for poultry
(Goodman 1964). While safflower seed meal or cake is actively used as animal feed.
Safflower seed meal or cake has the potential to be used as human food if the bitter
parts are removed (Nagaraj 1995). Safflower seed meal in combination with
all-purpose flour in 1:3 proportion has been reported to be highly suitable for
manufacturing of protein-enriched biscuits consisting of 22% of the protein (Singh
and Abidi 2005).
Extracts from safflower seed meal have also been reported to act as natural
antimicrobial agents in fresh fruits and vegetables (Son et al. 2017). Extracts
inhibited the spread and growth of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes
on lettuce. Bacteria have been reported to contaminate the fruits and vegetables
contributing to the rotting of fruits and vegetables and on consumption producing
disease in humans.
Another interesting and important application of safflower is its utilization for the
production of recombinant products. Oil bodies obtained from oilseeds have been
exploited for a variety of biotechnology applications in past, mostly for producing
recombinant products especially proteins as it reduces purification steps and costs
associated with the production of heterogonous proteins. Recombinant proteins are
targeted to be attached to the oil bodies and such attachment permits the target
protein to be purified along with the oil body fraction, which upon centrifugation
floats to the surface of ground seeds/water slurry (Huang et al. 2017; Mündel and
Centre 2004).
Fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10) has been successfully expressed in safflower
seeds. FGF10 exhibits diverse biological functions and is extensively investigated in
446
M. Nazir et al.