Lipid Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Seed Oils from Six Pomegranate Cultivars

Abstract

The fatty acid composition of the seed oils of six pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars was qualitatively and quantitatively determined by gas chromatography. The seeds contained oil in the range of 51–152 mg kg-dry matter. Inter-cultivar differences in fatty acid composition were demonstrated [fatty acid esters as % (w/w) total fatty acid esters]. Sour cultivars had the highest oil content, while sour-sweet cultivars had the lowest oil content. Eleven fatty acids were identified. In all cultivars the predominant fatty acids were linoleic (25.2–38.6%) and oleic acid (24.8–35.5%) followed by palmitic (18.2–22.6%), stearic (6.9–10.4%), and linolenic acid (0.6–9.9%). To a lesser extent, arachidic (1.1–3.4%) and palmitoleic acid (0.2–2.7%) were also found in all cultivars. Lauric, myristic, behenic, and lignoceric acids were rarely detected. As far as we know, linolenic (18:3), arachidic (20:0), behenic (22:0), or lignoceric (24:0) acids have not been previously reported in the seed oils of edible pomegranate cultivars. Lignoceric acid has not previously been found in pomegranate seed oil.