A Research Note Lipid Composition of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) Seeds

Total lipids extracted from Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L., Umbelliferae) amounted to 14.5% of the dry seeds. The total lipids consisted of 84.8% neutral lipids, 10.1% glycolipids, and 5.1% phospholipids. Neutral lipids consisted mostly of triacylglycerols (89.4%) and small amounts of diacylglycerols, free fatty acids, sterols, sterolesters, and hydrocarbons. At least five glycolipids and five phospholipids were identified. Acylmonogalactosyldiacylglycerol and acylatedsterylglucoside were the major glycolipids, while monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, monogalactosylmonoaclycerol, and digalactosyldiacylglycerol were present in small quantities. Phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine were the major phospholipids, while phosphatidylinositol, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol were present in small amounts. The fatty acid composition of these different neutral lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids was determined