Fatty acid composition of two Tunisian pine seed oils

Biotechnol Prog. 2005 May-Jun;21(3):998-1001. doi: 10.1021/bp049568s.

Abstract

Oils were extracted from fully ripen Pinus pinea L. and Pinus halepensis Mill seeds and fatty acid composition has been established by capillary gas chromatography. Seeds are rich in lipids, 34.63-48.12% on a dry weight basis. Qualitatively, fatty acid composition of both species is identical. For P. halepensis linoleic acid is the major fatty acid (56.06% of total fatty acids) followed by oleic (24.03%) and palmitic (5.23%) acids. For P. pinea, the same fatty acids are found with the proportions 47.28%, 36.56%, and 6.67%, respectively. Extracted fatty acids from both species are mainly unsaturated, respectively, 89.87% and 88.01%. Pinus halepensis cis-5 olefinic acids are more abundant (7.84% compared to 2.24%). Results will be important as a good indication of the potential nutraceutical value of Pinus seeds as new sources of fruit oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and cis-5 olefinic acids.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Fatty Acids / analysis*
  • Fatty Acids / chemistry*
  • Pinus / classification*
  • Pinus / metabolism*
  • Plant Oils / analysis*
  • Plant Oils / chemistry*
  • Plant Oils / classification
  • Seeds / classification
  • Seeds / metabolism*
  • Species Specificity
  • Tunisia

Substances

  • Fatty Acids
  • Plant Oils