Authentication of Citrus fruits through a comprehensive fatty acid profiling and health lipid indices: a nutraceutical perspectives

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the fatty acid composition from the fruits of four Citrus species, as well as the determination of the nutritional quality of their lipid fraction. We identified fourteen fatty acids and a range of unique compounds, contributing to the discrimination of the studied species. Four fatty acids (palmitic, linoleic, stearic and lauric acids) were designated as “core fatty acids” and were common to the four species. Theses marker compounds could be used to determine the botanical origin and to authenticate the citrus fruit origin. Quantitatively, the species of choice would be C. limon, exhibiting the highest number of compounds (11 FAs), the highest total lipid amount (97.8%) and the highest content in term of PUFA (54.93%). On the other hand, considering the health-related lipid indices, lowest IA (0.23) and the lowest cox value (2.39), and their corresponding ratio, indicate the nutritional adequacy and the great quality for C. aurantium fruit pulp. In sum, the lowest values detected for these indexes indicated that generally citrus fruit pulps had beneficial effects on health and that citrus fruit oils are stable and they would be effective in protecting oils against oxidative deterioration.