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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Total lipids content and fatty acid composition of seed oils from six pomegranate cultivars

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The fatty acid composition of the seed oils of six pomegranate (Punica granatum L) cultivars was qualitatively and quantitatively determined by gas chromatography. The seeds contained oil in the range 51-152 mg kg -1 dry matter. Intervarietal differences in fatty acid composition were demonstrated (fatty acid esters as % (w/w) total fatty acid esters. Sour varieties had the highest while sour-sweet varieties had the lowest oil content. Eleven fatty acids were identified. In all varieties, the predominant fatty acids were linoleic (25.2-38.6%) and oleic acid (24.8-35.5%) followed by palmitic (18.2-22.6%), stearic (6.9-10.4%) and linolenic acid (0.6-9.9%). To a lesser extent arachidic (1.1-3.4%) and palmitoleic acid (0.2-2.7%) were also found in all varieties. Lauric, myristic, behenic and lignoceric acids were rarely detected. As far as we know linolenic (18 :3), arachidic (20 :0), behenic (22 :0) or lignoceric (24 : 0) acids have not been previously reported in the seed oils of edible pomegranate varieties. Lignoceric acid has not previously been found in pomegranate seed oil.