Caster Seeds, Shelf Life : 1 year

The castor plant is the source of the castor seeds. The plant is grown, mainly, for its seeds which are used to make castor oil. This oil is used in lubricants, soaps, inks, varnishes, linoleum and a host of other areas. It is a commercially important crop and is grown largely in Western India, Brazil and China. This non edible oilseed is popular as it is biodegradable and does not cause any harm to the environment. Around 50-55% oil is contained in the castor seeds. The tiny grey seeds of the castor plant, dotted with brownish spots are contained inside the fruit. Two varieties of the castor seeds are known, one, being the red seeded and the other, white seeded. The castor oil, chiefly, consists of ricinoleate of glycerol or triricinolein along with small amounts of palmitin and stearin. ricinine and toxalbumine ricin are two other known components of the castor seed. Around 60% of the seeds are composed of triglycerides, largely ricinolein. The castor oil is useful for various medicinal and industrial purposes. It is used for treating various skin related disorders and can relieve swellings and pains.