Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa)

Black seed oil is the fixed oil pressed from the seed of Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae), known across South Asia and the Middle East as kalonji, black cumin or habbatus sauda. Compositionally it is a conventional linoleic-oleic vegetable oil: linoleic acid (C18:2) typically 45-65%, oleic acid (C18:1) 18-30% and palmitic acid (C16:0) 5-15%, with minor stearic, alpha-linolenic and arachidic acids. What buyers actually specify it on is thymoquinone (CAS 490-91-5), the quinone that also carries the oil's characteristic pungency. Published analyses of commercial seed oils put thymoquinone anywhere between roughly 0.1% and 2.3% w/w depending on seed origin and pressing conditions, which is precisely why an unqualified 'cold-pressed black seed oil' is not a purchase specification. Thovek ships against a declared HPLC minimum, lot by lot. Thymoquinone is volatile and degrades under heat and light, so how the oil is pressed decides what the certificate reads. Thovek's standard grade is single cold-pressed, unrefined and filtered only, at 0.50% thymoquinone minimum. The 1.0% and 3.0% grades are standardised concentrates rather than plain pressed oil and should be described as such on the finished pack. Supercritical CO2 grades are offered where a solvent-free, higher-clarity oil is wanted, and a refined and deodorised grade is available where the peppery note is a formulation problem, at some cost to the thymoquinone figure. Drums ship under nitrogen with a certificate of analysis covering thymoquinone by HPLC, fatty acid profile by GC, acid value, peroxide value, specific gravity and heavy metals. Origin and diet status are worth stating plainly because they travel onto the buyer's label. The bulk oil is wholly plant-derived: vegan and vegetarian, with no bovine, porcine or marine material, and free from milk, egg, fish, crustacean, soy, gluten, peanut and tree nut. Nigella is not a listed allergen under Codex or EU Regulation 1169/2011 Annex II. If Thovek fills the oil into softgels, the shell decides the final declaration, as bovine gelatin removes a vegan claim and fish gelatin introduces a fish allergen. Seed is sourced from Indian, Egyptian and Ethiopian crops; NPOP, NOP and EU organic certification is available alongside halal, kosher and FSSAI documentation. Thovek describes composition and food-technology function only and makes no therapeutic or disease claim for this material.