5836. Menhaden Oil

Nomenclature

Pogy oil; mossbunker oil.

Description and references

Obtained along the East Coast of North America from the menhaden fish, Brevoortia tyrannis, somewhat larger than a herring. The oil contains (in the form of glycerides) about 6% myristic acid, 16% palmitic acid, 30% linoleic acid, 19% C20- and 11% C22-acids (highly unsaturated).

Properties

Reddish oil. Characteristic, distasteful fishy odor and taste. d 0.925-0.933. mp 38.5-47.2°. nD20 1.480. Sapon no. 191-200. Iodine no. 139-180. Acid no. 3.0-11.6. Sol in ether, benzene, petr ether, naphtha, kerosene, CS2.

Use

Substitute for linseed oil. In leather dressing formulations. Hydrogenated menhaden oil can be used as a substitute for tallow in soap-making.