Conifer seeds: Oil content and fatty acid composition

The seed oils from twenty-five Conifer species (from four families—Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Taxodiaceae, and Taxaceae) have been analyzed, and their fatty acid compositions were established by capillary gas-liquid chromatography on two columns with different polarities. The oil content of the seeds varied from less than 1% up to 50%. Conifer seed oils were characterized by the presence of several Δ5-unsaturated polymethylene-interrupted polyunsaturated fatty acids (Δ5-acids) with either 18 (cis-5,cis-9, 18∶2,cis-5,cis-9,cis-12 18∶3, andcis-5,cis-9,cis-12,cis-15 18∶4 acids) or 20 carbon atoms (cis-5,cis-11 20∶2,cis-5,cis-11,cis-14, 20∶3, andcis-5,cis-11,cis-14,cis-17 20∶4 acids). Pinaceae seed oils contained 17–31% of Δ5-acids, mainly with 18 carbon atoms. The 20-carbon acids present were structurally derived from 20∶1n-9 and 20∶2n-6 acids. Pinaceae seed oils were practically devoid of 18∶3n-3 acid and did not contain either Δ5-18∶4 or Δ5-20∶4 acids. Several Pinaceae seeds had a Δ5-acid content higher than 50 mg/g of seed. The only Taxaceae seed oil studied (Taxus baccata) had a fatty acid composition related to those of Pinaceae seed oils. Cupressaceae seed oils differed from Pinaceae seed oils by the absence of Δ5-acids with 18 carbon atoms and high concentrations in 18∶3n-3 acid and in Δ5-acids with 20 carbon atoms (Δ5-20∶3 and Δ5-20∶4 acids). Δ5-18∶4 Acid was present in minute amounts. The highest level of Δ5-20∶4 acid was found inJuniperus communis seed oil, but the best source of Δ5-acids among Cupressaceae wasThuja occidentalis. Taxodiaceae seed oils had more heterogeneous fatty acid compositions, but the distribution of Δ5-acids resembled that found in Cupressaceae seed oils. Except forSciadopytis verticillata, other Taxodiaceae species are not interesting sources of Δ5-acids. The distribution profile of Δ5-acids among different Conifer families appeared to be linked to the occurrence of 18∶3n-3 acid in the seed oils.     

Oil content and fatty acid composition of peanuts imported into japan

The oil content and fatty acid composition of Virginia, Runner, and Spanish market types of peanuts imported into Japan were determined. The significant differences among the countries of production were shown in stearic, eicosenoic and lignoceric acid contents of Virginia market type and oil content and palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, eicosenoic, behenic and lignoceric acid contents of Spanish market type. The Spanish market type, as compared with the Virginia market type, was significantly higher in palmitic, stearic, linoleic, arachidic and behenic acid contents and lower in oleic, eicosenoic and lignoceric acid contents on the gross samples.     

Variations in oil content and fatty acid composition with sunflower head size and shape

Medium (8″ dia.) and small (4″) sized sunflower (EC 68415) heads of convex shape yielded seeds with more oil (>44%), unsaturation (I.V.M20) and linoleic acid (>48%) compared to big (12″) sized Both convex and flat shaped flower heads of medium size yielded seeds with more oil (>45%), unsaturation (I.V.>120) and linoleic acid (>48%) than did the concave shaped flower heads of medium size (39.9%, I.V. 112.6, 39.3%, respectively). The oil content, degree of unsaturation and linoleic acid content were thus found to vary with the size and shape of the sunflower head.     

Effect of planting date on sunflower seed oil content,fatty acid composition and yield in Florida

Plantings of sunflower,Heliantbus annuus L., were made 5 times between Feb. 2 and Nov. 15 in Florida so that the effect of planting date on the fatty acid composition of sunflower oil might be assessed. Eleven popular hybrids were planted at Gainesville, FL, on Feb. 2 and 28, April 2, and Aug. 14, and 15 hybrids were planted at Lake Worth, FL, on Nov. 15. Sunflower planted on Nov. 15 would be subjected to freezing temperatures if grown in Gainesville. Yields of sunflower achenes for the four planting dates at Gainesville declined with lateness of planting date. Oleic acid content of the oil (17.6–58.4%) was intermediate for the February plantings, highest for the April planting, and lowest for the late plantings. The linoleic acid content (32.5–71.0%) varied inversely with the oleic acid content. Because sunflower oil is needed for different purposes, such as for salad oil, for deep frying and for making margarines, oil low in linoleic acid (high in oleic acid) as well as oil high in linoleic acid (low in oleic acid) are needed. In Florida, adjusting the planting dates should result in the production of oil of the desired fatty acid composition.     

Oil content and fatty acid composition of commercially important Turkish fish species

The oil content and fatty acid composition of commercially important Turkish fish species (anchovy,Engraulis encrasicholus; freshwater rainbow trout,Salmo gairdneri; and cultured salmon,S. salar) were determined. Palmitic (16∶0), palmitoleic (16∶1), oleic (18∶1), and docosahexaenoic (22∶6) acids were the most abundant fatty acids in all species. Eicosapentaenoic acid (20∶5) was twice as high in the anchovy oil as in the rainbow trout and salmon oils. Significant quantities of linoleic acid (18∶2) and docosahexaenoic acids (22∶6) were found in both rainbow trout and salmon samples. The individual fatty acid data obtained from rainbow trout and salmon were similar to each other. All three fish species contain high levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and would be suitable for inclusion in the formulation of low-fat highly unsaturated diets.     

Oil content and composition of the seed in the world collection of sesame introductions

The quantity and quality of oil was studied in 721 introductions of sesame seed. The mean oil content was 53.1% and the iodine value 117.4. The mean per cent fatty acid composition was: palmitic 9.5, stearic 4.4, oleic 39.6 and linoleic 46.0. The oil was clear, colorless in 47.4% of the samples and light green in 37.2%. The remainder of the oil samples were dark green or brown. Short plants tended to have colorless oil while tall plants had light green oil. Early plants had a higher seed oil content. Earliness, yellow seed color and large seed size were associated with lower iodine value. A significant negative correlation was found between oleic and linoleic acid content. There was no correlation between oil content and iodine value of the oil. One of seven papers presented at the Symposium, “The Plant Geneticist’s Contribution Toward Changing the Lipid and Amino Acid Composition of Oilseeds,” AOCS Meeting, Houston, May 1971.     

Phospholipid content and fatty acid composition of human heart

Phospholipid content and fatty acid composition of human heart were determined on 36 biopsy specimens collected during open heart surgery. The main phospholipid classes, phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), and sphingomyelin (SPH) were separated by HPLC, quantified, and converted to fatty acid methyl esters which were chromatographed on capillary GLC columns. Sex and age (mainly 40–70) of patients had no significant influence on the relative distribution of phospholipid classes and only a slight effect on fatty acid composition. Incorporation oftrans 18∶1 in phospholipid classes was low.cis andtrans octadecenoic isomers seemed to be selectively incorporated, the Δ9 and Δ11cis ortrans isomers being predominant. Human and rat data were compared, and some species differences were noticed. In human PC, palmitic acid is higher and stearic acid much lower than in rat PC. Saturated dimethyl acetals (16∶0 and 18∶0) in PC and PE were greater for humans. Incorporation of 20∶4 n−6 in human PE is higher than in rat PE.     

Oil content and fatty acid composition of seed oil from guayule plants with different chromosome numbers

Guayule, a perennial desert plant, is being developed for domestic production of natural rubber, a strategic commodity for which the United States presently depends totally on foreign sources. At present, rubber alone is not sufficient to make guayule a commercial crop, and additional revenues are being sought from by-products. Because guayule flowers profusely during several years of growth before it is harvested for rubber, seed may also contribute to the economics of guayule production. Seed from 120 plants, including 20 genotypes with 36, 37, 54 and 72 chromosomes, were analyzed for oil content and fatty acid composition. Oil content ranged from 17.1 to 30.5%. On average, seed from diploid and aneuploid plants (with 36 and 37 chromosomes) contained 40.4% more oil than the seed from polyploid plants. The oil consisted of four fatty acids—palmitic (8.7–11.5%), stearic (3.7–6.2%), oleic (6.5–13.9%) and linoleic (69.1–80.2%)—at all ploidy levels. Guayule seed oil was similar to the seed oil from high-linoleic safflower varieties. The use of genetic variation to increase seed yield and seed oil will depend on the absence of negative correlation between oil and rubber production.     

Cyclopropenoid fatty acid content and fatty acid composition of crude oils from twenty-five varieties of cottonseed

The cyclopropenoid acid content of oils extracted from 22 commercial varieties and 3 botanical species of cottonseed have been determined. The malvalic acid content determined by HBr titration varied from a low of 0.56% to a high of 1.17%. Iodine values of the oils ranged from 96.8 to 111.6 No definite correlation could be established between iodine value and malvalic acid content. Equations for regression lines for the major acids have been calculated from plots of fatty acid composition vs. iodine value. The high degree or correlation suggests that for commercial oils the fatty acid composition can be estimated from the iodine value. Oils of the 3 experimental types of different species showed wide variations in fatty acid composition and represented many of the maximum and minimum values reported. So. Utiliz. Res. Dev. Div., ARS, USDA. ARS, USDA.     

Cyclopropenoid fatty acid content and fatty acid composition of crude cottonseed oils from successive solvent extractions

The fatty acid composition and properties of six fractions of oil successively extracted from cottonseed meats has been investigated. The cyclopropenoid fatty acid concn increased regularly from 0.30–1.06%, a 3.5-fold increase. This suggests that the cyclopropenoid constituents of the oil in the seed are less accessible to the solvent. The linoleic acid concn decreased from 56.3–53.1% accounting for a slight reduction in iodine value (I.V.). The first two fractions had a markedly lower phosphatide content than the remaining fractions. Presented at the AOCS Meeting in Chicago, 1964. A laboratory of the So. Utiliz. Res. & Dev. Div., ARS, USDA.     

Fatty acid composition and cyclopropene fatty acid content of China-chestnuts (Sterculia monosperma,ventenat)

The China-chestnuts (Sterculia monosperma, Ventenat) were examined for their fatty acid composition by gas liquid chromatography, infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The oil in nuts contained cyclopropene fatty acids (CPFA) determined as silver nitrate derivatives of their esters. The values (area %) for the major fatty acids as methyl esters were 23.47% C16:0, 1.25% C16:1, 2.56% C18:0, 24.89% C18:1, 18.24% C18:2, 5.40% dihydrosterculic, 3.21% C18:3 + C20:0 and 19.15% sterculic. The proportion of CPFA in the oil did not decrease upon cooking the nuts.     

Determination of seed oil content and fatty acid composition in sunflower through the analysis of intact seeds, husked seeds, meal and oil by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy

A methodological study was conducted to test the potential of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to estimate the oil content and fatty acid composition of sunflower seeds. A set of 387 intact-seed samples, each from a single plant, were scanned by NIRS, and 120 of them were selected and further scanned as husked seed, meal, and oil. All samples were analyzed for oil content (nuclear magnetic resonance) and fatty acid composition (gas chromatography), and calibration equations for oil content and individual fatty acids (C_16:0, C_16:1, C_18:0, C_18:1, and C_18:2) were developed for intact seed, husked seed, meal, and oil. For intact seed, the performance of the calibration equations was evaluated through both cross- and external validation, while cross-validation was used in the rest. The results showed that NIRS is a reliable and accurate technique to estimate these traits in sunflower oil (validation r ² ranged from 0.97 to 0.99), meal (r ² from 0.92 to 0.98), and husked seeds (r ² from 0.90 to 0.97). According to these results, there is no need to grind the seeds to scan the meal; similarly accurate results are obtained by analyzing husked seeds. The analysis of intact seeds was less accurate (r ² from 0.76 to 0.85), although it is reliable enough to use for pre-screening purposes to identify variants with significantly different fatty acid compositions from standard phenotypes. Screening of intact sunflower seeds by NIRS represents a rapid, simple, and cost-effective alternative that may be of great utility for users who need to analyze a large number of samples.     

Oil content and fatty acid composition of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) from five northwestern locations in Argentina

Any new crop for which there is a market, and which appears to be adapted to the region, would be attractive to replace nonprofitable traditional crops in Northwestern Argentina. Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is especially attractive because it can be grown to produce oil for both food and industry. The fatty acids of chia oil are highly unsaturated, with their main components being linoleic (17–26%) and linolenic (50–57%) acids. Seeds from a chia population harvested in Catamarca were sown in five Northwestern Argentina locations. The oil from the chia seeds produced under these five field conditions was measured. Linolenic, linoleic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic fatty acid contents of the oil were determined by gas chromatographic analysis. The results showed variations in oil content, and the oleic, linoleic, and linolenic fatty acid concentrations of the oil were significantly affected by location.     

Varietal difference in lipid content and fatty acid composition of highbush blueberries

Lipids from five cultivars of highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) were extracted and fractionated into neutral lipids (60–66%), glycolipids (20–22%) and phospholipids (14–18%). The major fatty acids in all fractions were palmitic (16∶0), oleic (18∶1), linoleic (18∶2), and linolenic (18∶3) acids. All lipid classes had a large concentration of C₁₈ polyunsaturated acids (84–92%), indicating that blueberries are a rich source of linoleic and linolenic acids. Changes in the fatty acid composition of neutral lipids and phospholipids were not significantly different among the five cultivars, but significant differences were noted in the ratios of linoleic and linolenic acids in the glycolipids fraction.     

野漆树种籽含油率与脂肪酸成分分析

以中国野漆树、昭和福野漆树、伊吉野漆树等3种野漆树种籽为试材对象,利用索氏提取法和气相色谱-质谱联用法,测定了野漆树的含油率和脂肪酸成分。结果表明,(1)3种野漆树的含油率分别为12.37%,、6.46%、11.22%,差异极显著;(2)3种野漆树种籽油中脂肪酸成分至少有26种,其中亚油酸、油酸(E)、油酸(Z)、亚麻酸、棕榈油酸、棕榈酸、硬脂酸等7种脂肪酸的含量总和分别占测定到总脂肪酸含量的97.35%、97.92%、98.16%;(3)3种野漆树种籽油中不饱和脂肪酸与饱和脂肪酸差别较大,为73.08%~84.46%之间,最高差值达11.38%;(4)昭和和伊吉两个日本品种的野漆树与中国野漆树在12-羟基-油酸、环丙烯丁酸、亚麻酸(异构)、蓖麻醇酸(蓖麻油酸)、二十二烷酸、二十三烷酸、二十四烷酸、9-十八碳烯酸十四酯、月桂酸等9种脂肪酸中存在质的区别。     

Definite influence of location and climatic conditions on the fatty acid composition of sunflower seed oil

Percentages of linoleic, oleic and stearic acids present significant differences between growing areas, whereas palmitic acid content remains practically constant, or at least presents no significant relation to the growing area. Nevertheless, palmitic acid appears to follow a pattern that relates its content to the total content of the other three major fatty acids. Seeds grown in the northern part of Spain presented a higher linoleic content than seeds grown in the South, which is in agreement with the general theory found in prior studies. Although there is an inverse correlation between oleic and linoleic content, we have found that the total content of both is neither constant nor independent of temperature, and increases when temperature and oleic acid increase. However, stearic content increases when the combination of linoleic and oleic acid decreases, suggesting a total constant value for the combination of these three acids. The average temperature of the are during development of the seed and the local climatic conditions have the greatest influence over fatty acid composition, while the seed variety presents limited influence.     

Oil quality characteristics of irradiated sunflower and maize seed

The characteristics of oils extracted from gamma‐irradiated sunflower (Halianthus annuus) and maize (Zea mays) seeds at absorbed doses of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 kGy were investigated. Gamma irradiation did not affect the lipid, protein, fiber, and ash contents of neither sunflower nor maize seeds significantly (p>0.05). No significant changes were observed for the values of refractive index and density between the control and irradiated sunflower and maize oils. Peroxide value, acid value, para‐anisidine value, and conjugated dienes and trienes contents increased, while iodine values decreased in the irradiated oils as compared to those of control oils (p<0.05). A small decrease in the contents of α‐, γ‐, and δ‐tocopherols of both sunflower and maize oils was noted by radiation treatment up to 6 kGy, however, the decline was more pronounced at higher dosages. The effects of irradiation on the fatty acid composition of sunflower oil showed a significant (p<0.05) change in the amounts of stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids, while the concentration of palmitic acid was unaffected even at 10 kGy. Similar trends in the fatty acid profile were found for both the sunflower and maize oil.     

Trans fatty acid composition and tocopherol content in vegetable oils produced in Mexico

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the trans fatty acid (TFA) composition and the tocopherol content in vegetable oils produced in Mexico. Sample oils were obtained from 18 different oil refining factories, which represent 72% of the total refineries in Mexico. Fatty acids and TFA isomers were determined by gas chromatography using a 100-m fused-silica capillary column (SP-2560). Tocopherol content was quantified by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using an ultraviolet detector and a LiChrosorb Si60 column (25 cm). Results showed that 83% of the samples corresponded to soybean oil. Seventy-two percent of the oils analyzed showed TFA content higher than 1%. Upon comparing the tocopherol contents in some crude oils to their corresponding deodorized samples, a loss of 40–56% was found. The processing conditions should be carefully evaluated in order to reduce the loss of tocopherols and the formation of TFA during refining.     

Breeding for lipid and amino acid composition in sunflower

It may be possible to modify fatty acid composition of sunflower oil by appropriate breeding methods. Data are inadequate to judge the possibility of changing the amino acid composition of sunflower protein by breeding. One of seven papers presented at the Symposium, “The Plant Geneticist’s Contribution Toward Changing the Lipid and Amino Acid Composition of Oilseeds,” AOCS Meeting, Houston, May 1971.