Effects of blending argan oil with walnut and olive oils: Modeling chemical quality, oxidative stability, and sensory acceptability.

Vegetable oil blending is widely applied to enhance oxidative stability and chemical quality. In this work, the effects of blending argan oil with olive and walnut oils were investigated with the dual objectives of improving oil stability and nutritional attributes while providing compositional insights relevant to authenticity assessment. Five blended oil formulations were prepared and compared with individual oils used as negative controls. Oil quality indices, pigment content, fatty acid composition, saponification and iodine values, nutritional and sensory profiles, were determined. Oxidative stability was evaluated using induction period measurements. All blended oils met the quality parameters within recommended standards, with free fatty acids below 6% and peroxide values below 6 mEq O₂/kg. The AOW5 blend (argan: 55%, olive: 40%, walnut: 5%) showed notably higher pigment content and the highest oxidative stability (induction period of 18.23 h). Fatty acid analysis revealed monounsaturated fatty acid levels exceeding 50% in all blends, indicating favorable nutritional profiles. Overall, blending argan oil with olive and walnut oils enhanced oxidative stability and maintained high nutritional quality, supporting the potential of controlled blending strategies for value enhancement while emphasizing the need for robust analytical characterization to distinguish quality improvement from fraudulent practices.