Chemical composition of carrot seeds (<i>Daucus carota</i> L.) cultivated in Turkey: characterization of the seed oil and essential oil

Abstract

Chemical composition and physical properties were established in carrot ( Daucus carota L.) seeds from Konya, Turkey to investigate their potential uses. Mature seeds were evaluated for moisture, crude protein, crude oil, crude fiber, ash, HCl-insoluble ash, total carbohydrate, essential oil yield and weight of 1000 seeds. Also, relative density, refractive index, free fatty acids, peroxide value, iodine value, saponification number and unsaponifiable matter were determined in the seed oil. The main fatty acids identified by gas chromatography were petroselinic (59.35%), linoleic (11,82%), palmitic (10.01%) and stearic (2.41%) acids. Mineral contents (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Se, Sr, V and Zn) of seeds were also determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). The seeds were found to be rich in protein, fiber and ash. The essential oil and edible oil compositions of carrot seeds from Konya were investigated by GC and GC-MS. The oil yields of essential and edible oil from carrot seeds were established as 0.83% and 7.84%, respectively. The major constituents of seed essential oil were carotol (66.78%), daucene (8.74)%, (Z,Z)--farnesene (5.86%), germacrene D (2.34%), trans--bergamotene (2.41%) and -selinene (2.20%). Whereas, carotol (30.55%), daucol (12.60%) and copaenol (0.62%) were the important components of edible carrot seed oil. However, the dominant component of both oils was carotol.