Articles
EFFECT OF COLD STORAGE ON THE KERNEL FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF ALMONDS
Almonds were obtained from Sanliurfa Koruklu province and divided in two subsamples.
The first subsample of almonds were analyzed immediately after harvest, whereas second subsample were placed in polyethylene bags and stored at 4°C for one year with the hull and then analyzed for their fatty acid composition. 20 almond kernels from each variety were analyzed individually.
Oil extraction and fatty acid methyl esters were done in one step.
After one year cold storage fat content of the ‘Drake’ and ‘Nonpareil’ and ‘101–13’ have slightly increased.
Palmitic acid content have not changed significantly over the storage time.
Stearic acid content have increased between 3.61% to 26.34%. Oleic acid content of ‘Drake’ and ‘101–13’ have decreased 4.75% and 4.69% respectively whereas the linoleic acid increased in these two almonds in the same proportion.
This is a proof of a strong complementary relation between oleic and linoleic acids which means the sum of both fatty acids (oleic + linoleic) is nearly constant 91% in the two almond varieties and genotype.
According to these results, almond varieties ‘Drake, and ‘Nonpareil’ and genotype ‘101–13’ could be stored in a cold store (4°C) for up to one year without any adverse effects on the fatty acid composition.