Lipids and Fatty Acids in Italian Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) Cultivars.

Narducci Narducci,Finotti Finotti,Galli Galli,Carcea Carcea

doi:10.3390/foods8060223

Abstract

The level of variation in lipids and their fatty acids was determined in the grains of 10 popular durum wheat cultivars commercially grown in Central and Southern Italy. Samples were harvested for two consecutive years to account for differences due to changes in climatic conditions. Total fat content was determined by means of the International Association of Cereal Science and Technology (ICC) Standard Method No. 136, whereas the fatty acid profile was determined by gas chromatography. Total lipid content ranged from 2.97% to 3.54% dry basis (d.b.) in the year 2010 and from 3.10% to 3.50% d.b. in the year 2011, and the average value was 3.22% d.b. considering both years together. Six main fatty acids were detected in all samples in order of decreasing amounts: linoleic (C18:2) > palmitic (C16:0) ≈ oleic (C18:1) > linolenic (C18:3) > stearic (C18:0) > palmitoleic (C16:1). Significant variations in the levels of single acids between two years were observed for three samples. These results will be very useful in the updating of food composition databases in general and will help authorities to set proper quality standards for wholegrain flours and products where the germ should be preserved, considering also the recent interest of industry and consumers for these kinds of products.

Highlights

Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) kernels contain about 2.4–3.8% dry basis (d.b.) of lipids [1].Roughly two thirds (66%) of them are contained in the germ, 15% are in the bran, and about 20% are distributed in the endosperm, partly within the starch granules.From a chemical point of view, the most abundant fraction is composed by nonpolar lipids, which are mainly storage acylglycerols
The total lipid values found in this study are in line with those reported by the USDA National Nutrient Database
Total lipids were in line with the values reported by the USDA and the Institute for Research on Food and Nutrition (INRAN) databases and it was not possible to detect any difference between the geographical areas of Central and Northern Italy

Summary

Introduction

Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) kernels contain about 2.4–3.8% dry basis (d.b.) of lipids [1].Roughly two thirds (66%) of them are contained in the germ, 15% are in the bran ( in the aleuronic layer), and about 20% are distributed in the endosperm, partly within the starch granules.From a chemical point of view, the most abundant fraction is composed by nonpolar lipids, which are mainly storage acylglycerols. Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) kernels contain about 2.4–3.8% dry basis (d.b.) of lipids [1]. Phospholipids, glycolipids and other classes are present in lesser amounts. The fatty acids of wheat lipids are mostly unsaturated (C18:2, C18:1, C18:3 and C16:1) and two of them are essential (linoleic and linolenic). This increases the value of wheat lipids for human nutrition, because essential fatty acids are precursors of important classes of biomolecules in the human body (like prostaglandins and membrane phospholipids) and are involved in metabolic processes like regulation of blood lipid levels, cholesterol [1,2,3]

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Conclusion