Physical, Nutritional and Functional Properties of Walnuts Genotypes (Juglans regia L.) from Romania

Olimpia A Iordănescu,Adina A Berbecea,Iuliana Popescu,Dorin Camen,Dacian Lalescu,Ioana P Buhan,Isidora Radulov,Daniela S Poșta,Ileana Cocan

doi:10.3390/agronomy11061092

Olimpia A Iordănescu, Adina A Berbecea + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061092

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Abstract

Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is the oldest fruit grown in the world and grows spontaneously almost throughout Romania. In this study, the physical properties and chemical composition of twenty types of walnuts from three different locations in Romania were studied. The physical analyzes that were performed were: walnut dimensions and shape properties (nut diameter, nut length, nut shape and nut size), fruit properties (walnut weight, walnut kernel weight and percentage of kernel) and external properties of walnut (walnut kernel extraction, kernel color and shell roughness). The proximate chemical composition (content of water, ash, lipids, proteins and carbohydrates) was determined by standardized AOAC methods, while fatty compounds were determined by GSMS. Water content ranged from 1.23% to 5.00%, mineral content between 1.31% and 2.49%, lipids content between 56.09% and 66.56% and protein content ranged between 12.73% and 20.413%. Based on these, the carbohydrate content and nutritional value of the 20 walnut samples were calculated. In all samples, saturated palmitic acid (C16:0) and stearic acid (C18:0) as well as unsaturated oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2) and linolenic (C18:3) fatty acids were determined. A statistical analysis was also performed correlating the results obtained from the chemical analyzes of the walnuts.

Highlights

IntroductionWalnut kernel is one of the most concentrated foods with a high energy value (630 kcal/100 g)
Native to Central Asia (Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey), as well as from some countries of the Balkan Peninsula, the walnut tree (Juglans regia L.) is one of the most important fruit species grown worldwide, both for fruit production and for the exceptional quality of the wood.Walnut kernel is one of the most concentrated foods with a high energy value (630 kcal/100 g)
The most closely related variables were lipids/energy, indicating that the high lipid content is responsible for the high energy value of walnuts

Summary

Introduction

Walnut kernel is one of the most concentrated foods with a high energy value (630 kcal/100 g). It has a high content of nutrients such as: fats 52.0–77.5%; protein 11.0–25.0%; carbohydrates 5.0–24.0%; mineral substances 1.3–2.5% (phosphorus 500 mg/100 g; potassium 600 mg/100 g and traces of sulphur); microelements (Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and I), as well as vitamins: E (46.0 mg/100 g), C (30–55 mg/100 g), B1 (0.34–0.8) mg/100 g) and lower amounts of vitamins B2, A and PP [1,2,3,4]. The benefits of walnut kernel consumption in the prevention of hypercholesterolemia have been studied [4]

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