FAT CONTENT AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF FOUR IRANIAN PISTACHIO (PISTACIA VERA L.) VARIETIES GROWN IN IRAN

Pistachio nuts quality is associated with fatty acids composition, mainly with percentage of oleic and linoleic acids.
Fat content and fatty acids composition in the kernels of four main pistachio varieties (“Akbari”, “Ohadi”, “Kalleh-Ghuchi” and “Qazvini”) grown in Qazvin region in Iran were investigated.
Oil extraction was done using n-hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus, and fatty acids composition of the oil was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) in the methyl ester form.
Fat contents of the samples ranged from 48.9 to 56.2%. Palmitic acid (10.95 to 16.26%) was the major saturated fatty acid in the samples.
The main monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids in the kernels of all varieties were found to be oleic acid (51.28 to 58.38%) and linoleic acid (28.34 to 37.76%), respectively.
Based on the results, “Qazvini” can be introduced as a suitable variety, in terms of nutritional value and storability, for environmental conditions of Qazvin region.

IV International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds

M.R. Roozban, N. Mohamadi, K. Vahdati

kernel oil, palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2006.726.96