Abstract:
Fat content and fatty acid composition in kernels and epicarps of individual seeds of P. terebinthus, P. atlantica and P. khinjuk grown in different parts of Turkey were studied.
All three Pistachio species are rich from the point of fat content and differed significantly from each other.
Palmitic acid content of the hull (23.49–27.98%) were more than two fold of the kernel (9.55–11.95%). Palmitoleic acid content of the kernels were relative low (<1%) in comparison to the hull (1.32–5.05%). Stearic was found as the second main saturated fatty acid (1.13–2.18%) in the kernel whereas it was between 1.46–4.24% in the hull.
The main monounsaturated fatty acid in kernels and hulls of the three Pistacia species was found to be oleic acid (48.49–50.83%). Linoleic acid was found as the dominant polyunsaturated fatty acid in kernels (33.48–37.50%), whereas this was much lower in the hull (12.90%–22.03%).
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