peanut oil

Peanut oil is a colorless to yellow fatty oil derived from peanuts. It is a non-drying oil with various uses, including as a salad oil, in margarine, soap, and as a base for pharmaceutical preparations and cosmetics.1

Peanuts themselves are legumes, not true nuts, originating from tropical South America. They are a nutritious food source, rich in protein and fat. The peanut plant is valuable for its ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. A unique characteristic of peanuts is geocarpy, where the flowers pollinate above ground, but the fruit develops underground. This process allows the developing pods to absorb nutrients directly from the soil. Peanuts are cultivated in warm climates and are used to produce edible oil, peanut butter, and are incorporated into various food products and animal feed.2