Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid profiles of commercially important traditional and new improved red and white rice varieties of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The present study evaluated saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acid (FA) profiles of seven new improved and three traditional red and white rice varieties (RV) of Sri Lanka. Oil was extracted from whole grain rice flour, derivatized to methyl esters, and analyzed by gas chromatography (n = 3 each). Results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in FA profiles among the RV, red vs white RV, and traditional vs new improved RV. The oil % of RV varied from 1.94–3.19%. Total FAs, saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), total unsaturated FAs, and PUFAs to SFAs ratios of studied RV varied from 19.40–31.90, 4.40–7.04, 8.35–13.60, 6.65–11.26 and 15.00–24.86 mg/g of rice and 1.44–1.83 respectively. The tested RV had four omega-6 FAs while omega-3 FAs were absent. The major FAs found in all RV were palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids and these three FAs together contributed to 88–95% of the total FAs present in rice. Among these FAs, 70–76% were unsaturated FAs. Considering all, RV consisting of healthy fatty acid profiles could be identified by studying their total fatty acid profile rather than studying their oil % and the total fatty acid contents.