FATTY ACIDS AND TOCOPHEROL CONTENTS OF SOME PRUNUS SPP. KERNEL OILS

The oil content as well as the fatty acid and tocopherol composition of kernels from 15 Prunus spp. varieties from Turkey were determined. The oil yields from these kernels varied from 46.3 to 55.5%. The main fatty acids of Prunus spp. kernel oils were oleic acid (43.9–78.5%), linoleic acid (9.7–37%) and palmitic acid (4.9–7.3%). The total amount of vitamin-E-active compounds in the oils varied between 62.9 and 439.9 mg/kg. The predominant tocopherol in most kernel oils was γ-tocopherol. Only two varieties of P. amygdalus and one variety of P. persica showed α-tocopherol as the main vitamin-E-active compound. The composition of the oils was 9–164.5 mg/kg α-tocopherol, 21.5–41.6 mg/kg α-tocotrienol, 1.6–330.2 mg/kg γ-tocopherol and 0–39.1 mg/kg δ-tocopherol. From the results of the present study, it can be concluded that the kernels of the investigated species of Prunus fruits from Turkey may serve potential sources of valuable oil that might be used for edible and other industrial applications.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The search for new sources of vegetable oils is an ongoing challenge and the further utilization of by-products from the food processing industry is an interesting option in this field. Seed oils from Prunus species contain high amounts of recommended monounsaturated oleic acid moderate contents of linoleic acid and low amounts of saturated fatty acids that may result in more favorable oil than olive oil with regard to their fatty acid compositions. Additionally, the oils contain vitamin-E-active compounds. Both fatty acid composition and vitamin-E-active compounds may justify the further processing of seeds from Prunus species for the production of oil for food and pharmaceutical applications.