Source Of Essential Fatty Acids Research Articles

Phyto-chemical and bioactive compounds of pumpkin seed oil as affected by different extraction methods

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) seeds of KH (Kashi Harit) cultivar were chosen for oil extraction by three different methods cold press extraction (CPE), soxhlet extraction (SE) and mechanical shaking extraction (MSE) method. SE method showed highest oil yield (38.03%) followed by CPE (33.25%) and MSE (26.36%) methods. Peroxide and acid value were found to be least in the CPE pumpkin seed oil (PSO) whereas oil stability index was highest in this oil. PSO is a good source of essential fatty acids as it contains significant amount (p < 0.05) of linoleic acid in the range of 44.38–44.47%. PSO also contains major sterols like campesterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, ∆7,22,25-Stigmastratrienol, ∆7,25-Stigmastadienol, ∆5-Avenasterol, etc. CPE oil showed higher values for tocopherols (α, β, γ and δ) (4.01, 0.77, 12.51 and 6.42 mg/100 g, respectively), β-carotene (3.86 mg/kg), TPC (19.26 mg GAE/g), DPPH (46.35%) and squalene (352.63 mg/100 g). Thermal analysis of all oil samples revealed that no endothermic reaction occurred beyond 27.5 °C and remains at liquid state at room temperature. 1HNMR fingerprinting of PSO was carried out to determine the composition of major and minor oil constituents like mono and di-glycerides, aliphatic chains and fatty acids.

Phytochemical Elucidation and Antioxidant Activity of Seeds from Three Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) Cultivars from Algeria

In this study, the characterization of fatty acids and secondary metabolites in seeds of three cultivars of Opuntia ficus-indica L. (O. ficus-indica, yellow, orange, and green) harvested from the Souk Ahras area in Northeast Algeria was performed. The antioxidant activity of seed extracts was also assessed by using two methods, namely FRAP and DPPH tests. Results show that total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 63.02 to 81.80 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g of seeds. The yellow cultivar had the highest TPC, followed by the orange and green cultivars. Concerning flavonoids and tannins, the orange cultivar showed higher concentrations, corresponding to 2.97 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/100 g and 5.60 mg catechin equivalent (CE)/100 g, respectively. Analysis of the seed extracts by HPLC revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, including gallic acid and chlorogenic acid, while the GC analysis of oil showed that prickly pear oil is a major source of essential fatty acids (C18:2). The antioxidant activities of extracts from the three cultivars were comparable. The EC50 for the reduction of ferric iron was almost 0.05 g/mL for all extracts. Regarding the scavenging of DPPH, green and yellow cultivars showed the highest capacity (EC50 = 0.26 g/mL). Linear correlations between the content of some antioxidants (flavonoids, tannins) and different activities were observed, indicating their participation in the latter. Above all, a significant inverse correlation between the total flavonoid content and the EC50 calculated for the reducing activity of seed extracts was observed (r = −0.657; p ≤ 0.05). Overall, the results indicate that the seeds of O. ficus-indica growing in Algeria can be exploited as valuable sources of table oil, cooking oil, and antioxidants.

Promising Sources of Plant-Derived Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: A Narrative Review.

(1) Background: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are known for their ability to protect against numerous metabolic disorders. The consumption of oily fish is the main source of PUFAs in human nutrition and is commonly used for supplement production. However, seafood is an overexploited source that cannot be guaranteed to cover the global demands. Furthermore, it is not consumed by everyone for ecological, economic, ethical, geographical and taste reasons. The growing demand for natural dietary sources of PUFAs suggests that current nutritional sources are insufficient to meet global needs, and less and less will be. Therefore, it is crucial to find sustainable sources that are acceptable to all, meeting the world population's needs. (2) Scope: This review aims to evaluate the recent evidence about alternative plant sources of essential fatty acids, focusing on long-chain omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs. (3) Method: A structured search was performed on the PubMed search engine to select available human data from interventional studies using omega-3 fatty acids of non-animal origin. (4) Results: Several promising sources have emerged from the literature, such as algae, microorganisms, plants rich in stearidonic acid and GM plants. However, the costs, acceptance and adequate formulation deserve further investigation.

Bitkisel yağlarda mikotoksin varlığı

Vegetable oils are obtained from oil seeds and fruits and are widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. In recent years, consumers' interest in vegetable oils has increased. The most important reason is that they are associated with health due to factors such as providing high energy, being a source of essential fatty acids, carrying fat-soluble vitamins, and containing compounds with antioxidant activity. On the other hand, they may contain some contaminants, such as mycotoxins. Vegetable oils can be contaminated with mycotoxins through raw materials exposed to unsuitable conditions. In this review, studies on the presence of mycotoxins in vegetable oils were examined. As a result, it has been observed that vegetable oils can be contaminated with mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, fumonisin, ochratoxin, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone at different levels. It was concluded that contamination should be prevented and measures should be taken against mould growth and mycotoxin formation in raw materials.

Fatty Acids of Echinoderms: Diversity, Current Applications and Future Opportunities.

The phylum Echinodermata comprising the classes Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea, Holothuroidea, and Crinodeia, is one of the important invertebrate groups. Members of this phylum live exclusively in marine habitats and are distributed in almost all depths and latitudes. Some of them, such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers, are commercially valuable and constitute a major fishery resource. Echinoderms are increasingly recognized as a unique source of various metabolites with a wide range of biological activities. The importance of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid, in human health has drawn attention to echinoderms as a promising source of essential fatty acids (FAs). Extensive information on the FAs of the phylum has been accumulated to date. The biosynthetic capabilities and feeding habits of echinoderms explain the findings of the unusual FAs in them. Certain common and unusual FAs may serve as chemotaxonomic markers of the classes. The main goal of the review was to gather the relevant information on the distribution of FAs among the echinoderm classes, describe the structures, distribution, biosynthetic pathways, and bioactivity, with an emphasis on the FAs specific for echinoderms. A large part of the review is devoted to the FAs derived from echinoderms that exhibit various biological activities promising for potential therapeutic applications.

How value addition by utilization of tilapia processing by‐products can improve human nutrition and livelihood

AbstractAquatic foods, particularly fish, are recognized as a unique source of essential fatty acids, micronutrients and protein many diets lack, especially in poor and vulnerable communities. Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) fillets typically represent 30%–33% of the fish, leaving around 70% of the fish unused for human consumption. These nutrient‐rich by‐products can be converted into food and other products with medical, pharmaceutical and packaging applications. Heads and backbones of processed tilapias, and undersized tilapia can be used in the development or fortification of food products such as fish cakes, sausages and bread. Tilapia skin can be processed into leather for clothing and leather artefacts. Gelatin from fish skin can be developed into edible films and coating while collagen from fish scales and bones has good application in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical fields. The viscera can be converted into biodiesel or silage and hydrolysates, which are good sources of peptides and enzymes. To ensure 100% utilization, any remaining parts of the fish not used for food, can be transformed into products for animal consumption or for fertilizer. Thus, the conversion of by‐products from tilapia processing into value‐added products can contribute to improve human nutrition and better livelihood opportunities. However, adopting new technologies in value addition will require additional operational costs for acquiring new equipment and skills, a proven market demand for the products and an enabling policy environment.

Fatty Acid Compositions and Antioxidant Activities of Ranunculus isthmicus subsp. tenuifolius and Ranunculus rumelicus

The content of fatty acids in plants and especially the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids is very important. Phenolic compounds and flavonoids with antioxidant properties are useful in scavenging harmful radicals. In this study, fatty acid compositions and antioxidant activities of the aerial parts of Ranunculus isthmicus subsp. tenuifolius (syn. Xiphocoma tenuifolia) and Ranunculus rumelicus from Turkey were evaluated. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) of the oil extracts of two Ranunculus species were prepared. The fatty acid compositions of plants were investigated by gas chromatography (GC). Unsaturated fatty acids were detected in higher amounts than saturated fatty acids. The primary unsaturated fatty acids of the R. isthmicus subsp. tenuifolius oil were linoleic acid (38.42%), oleic acid (18.24%), palmitoleic acid (8.96%), and palmitic acid (8.12%) were determined fatty acid. Linoleic acid (24.09%), palmitoleic acid (16.25%) and palmitic acid (10.32%) were found in R. rumelicus oil as the major fatty acids. The antioxidant activities of methanol extracts of two plants were evaluated by DPPH•, ABTS•+, and CUPRAC assays. The extracts' total phenolics and flavonoid contents were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride methods, respectively. The methanolic extract of Ranunculus isthmicus subsp. tenuifolius demonstrated the higher antioxidant activity compared to R. rumelicus. The extracted oil from both Ranunculus species is a good source of essential fatty acids, especially linoleic acid. According to the antioxidant activity findings, it was determined that the extracts showed a significant correlation with the total phenolic and flavonoid contents.

Valorization Potential of Oil Industry By-Products as Sources of Essential Fatty Acids

The oil industry generates a high number of by-products which have the potential to be used in food formulation after they are properly treated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional potential of 14 different vegetable by-products from the oil industry (flour, meals, and groats) in terms of fatty acid composition and to investigate the effect of theoretical fortification of the bakery products with by-products high in ω-3. Results showed that some of the analyzed samples contain significant amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Organic walnut flour and grape seed flour had a linoleic acid content higher than 60%. By-products obtained from thistle and sesame had a linoleic acid content ranging between 47.32% and 54.72%. Higher linolenic content was obtained for hemp flour (33.22%), red grape seeds meals (33.62%), and golden flax meals (64.65%). By theoretical fortification of wheat and wholemeal flours with high ω-3 by-products in a proportion of 5, 10, and 15%, the ω-3 content increased (2.2- to 22-fold higher) while the ω-6/ω-3 ratio decreased from 5.22 to 0.52–2.86 for wheat flour, and from 16.80 to 0.81–5.53 for wholemeal flour. These vegetable by-products from the oil industry could represent valuable sources of essential fatty acids for the food application, representing valuable ingredients that could be added for the production of functional foods.

Analysis of phospholipids and triacylglycerols in intravenous lipid emulsions

Intravenous lipid emulsions (ILEs) are used for parenteral nutrition, providing a vital source of essential fatty acids and concentrated energy for patients who are unable to absorb nutrients via the digestive track. They are commonly used to treat local and non-local anesthetic toxicity, and lipophilic drug overdose. ILE are composed of natural lipids, and the composition of these natural lipids can be varied based on their source. The lipids are susceptible to hydrolytic degradation with time, resulting various lipid degradation products such as Lysophosphatidylcholines (LPs), affecting the actual composition of nutrients in the formulation. As a result, the identification and quantification of lipid components, including degradation products, in ILEs are crucial in quality control. In this study, lipids from different batches of ILE Intralipid® 20%, were separated and identified using a UHPLC-ESI-QTOF system and SimLipid® high throughput lipid identification software. Out of 47 lipids identified, 34 were phospholipids (PLs) and the others were triacylglycerols (TAGs). Most of the phospholipids detected were phosphatidylcholines (PC) and Lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC). A total of 9 LPCs, 18 PCs, 6 phosphoethanolamines (PEs), and 1 sphingomyelin (SM) were identified. The LPCs concentration changed with the manufacturing date and storage time. This UHPLC method enabled the identification and quantification of lipids and their decomposition products in complex ILE emulsion mixtures on a single 20-minute chromatographic run.

Difference in the nutritional, in vitro, and functional characteristics of protein and fat isolates of two Indian chia (Salvia hispanica L) seed genotypes with variation in seed coat color.

This study aimed to determine the association between the seed coat color of two chia seed genotypes for their composition, protein content, amino acid, and fatty acid profiles. The optimal pH for protein isolation for both genotypes (BCPI and WCPI) was 10, based on protein purity and solubility. Fatty acid profiling indicated, overall, 18 different fatty acids higher in BCPI10 with linolenic acid domination (∼66%) followed by linoleic acid (∼19%) and oleic acid (∼6%), contributing PUFAs (∼86%). Optimized protein isolates, black (BCPI10) and white (WCPI10) chia, had shown purity, L*-value, solubility, and yields of 90.65%, 75.86%, 77.75%, 11.30%, and 90.00%, 77.83%, 76.07%, 10.69%, respectively. BCPI10 depicted higher EAA (33.19g/100 g N) and EEA indices (57.676%) compared to WCPI10 (32.14g/100 g N) and 56.360%, respectively.Amino acid profiling indicated higher, PER, TAA, TEAA, TNEAA, TAAA, TBA, acidic AA values for BCPI10, and higher leucine/isoleucine ratio for WCPI10 having leucine and sulfur amino acids as limiting amino acids. BCPI10 had higher sulfur-containing amino acid contents, as the main contributor to the albumin a water-soluble fraction, leading to its higher in vitro digestibility (71.97%) than WCPI10 (67.70%). Both isolates exhibited good WHC and OHC of 3.18, 2.39 and 3.00, 2.20, respectively. Both protein isolates had similar ∆Td (°C) values with some variation in FTIR spectrum from 1000 cm-1 to 1651cm-1 having more peak intensity for BCPI10. SDS-PAGE indicated bands at 150kDa, representing globulin and mild bands at 25-33kDa for glutelin and albumin. A significant (p<0.05) variation reported in this study for protein and lipid profiles of both genotype attributes to genetic differences between the seeds. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Based on the nutritional profile, both chia seed isolates (black and white) are suitable for consumption with an edge for black seed when supplemented with their limiting amino acids. The high values of the functional properties and structural characteristics combined with high nutritional values make the chia protein isolate an excellent source of raw material for various food formulations. Fatty acid profile of the oils from the genotypes showed the presence of high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, especially the PUFAs with more number of fatty acids in black chia seed. The excellent lipid profile of chia seed oil indicates the benefit of using chia seed oil as a source of essential fatty acids in the human diet for optimal health.

Role of Lipids in Food Flavor Generation.

Lipids in food are a source of essential fatty acids and also play a crucial role in flavor and off-flavor development. Lipids contribute to food flavor generation due to their degradation to volatile compounds during food processing, heating/cooking, and storage and/or interactions with other constituents developed from the Maillard reaction and Strecker degradation, among others. The degradation of lipids mainly occurs via autoxidation, photooxidation, and enzymatic oxidation, which produce a myriad of volatile compounds. The oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids generates hydroperoxides that then further break down to odor-active volatile secondary lipid oxidation products including aldehydes, alcohols, and ketones. In this contribution, a summary of the most relevant and recent findings on the production of volatile compounds from lipid degradation and Maillard reactions and their interaction has been compiled and discussed. In particular, the effects of processing such as cooking, drying, and fermentation as well as the storage of lipid-based foods on flavor generation are briefly discussed.

HPLC Chromatographic Analysis Antioxidant activity of seeds some varieties of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) from the Sidi-Fredj souk Ahras Algeria

The study was conducted on seeds of three varieties of Opuntia ficus-indica (O. ficus-indica), harvested from different regions of Souk Ahras North-East (Sidi-Fredj, Taoura and Drea) of Algeria). The analysis consisted of antioxidants extraction, following the solid-liquid extraction with ethanol 40% (v/v), their quantification and determination of their antioxidant activity by two methods (reducing power and DPPH• Test). Results show that total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 74.04 to 92.83 mg GAE /100g Extract. The Sidi-Fredj variety has the best rate followed, by the Taoura and Drea ones. Concerning, flavonoids and tannins, the Taoura variety contains higher concentrations corresponding to 2.67 mg QE/100g and 6.60mg CE/100g. activities of extracts of three varieties show similar performance; the EC50 for the reduction of ferric iron 0.05g/mL for all extracts, whereas the EA is more important in Sidi-Fredj and Drea seeds extracts. Regarding the scavenging of DPPH •, Drea and Sidi-Fredj varieties show the highest capacity equals to 0.20g/mL. Linear correlations between the different studied activities and some antioxidants (flavonoids, tannins) rates were noticed; indicating their participation in the obtained effect.&#x0D; Analysis of the oil by HPLC revealed the presence of phenolic compounds including gallic acid and a form of vitamin E (α-tocophérol), capable of expressing biological activities; Anti-oxidants and vitamins. CPG analysis showed that prickly pear oil was a major source of essential fatty acids (C18 :2 and C18 :3).The seeds extract present therefore a variety effect with properties that should be taken intconsideration for possible other exploitation in addition to the oil one.

Periphyton as a key diet source of essential fatty acids for macroinvertebrates across a nutrient and dissolved organic carbon gradient in boreal lakes

AbstractWe studied how physiologically important long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in benthic macroinvertebrates (Asellus aquaticus, Chironomidae, and Oligochaeta) were related to those in periphyton and terrestrial organic matter (tree leaves), collected from littoral areas of 17 boreal lakes that differed in their dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nutrient (phosphorus and nitrogen) concentrations. We also analyzed fatty acid (FA)‐specific stable carbon isotopes (δ13CFA) to investigate the dietary origin (periphyton vs. terrestrial organic matter) of PUFA in the consumers. In contrast to periphyton, terrestrial organic matter was deprived of long‐chain PUFA, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), but rich in short‐chain PUFA. The FA composition of macroinvertebrates was primarily taxon‐specific despite the large differences in DOC and nutrient concentrations of the lakes. An increase in DOC concentration had a negative impact on the EPA content of Asellus, chironomids, and oligochaetes as well as the total FA content of chironomids and oligochaetes. However, the FA content of macroinvertebrates was not related to lake total phosphorus concentrations, although the total FA and EPA content of periphyton increased with the trophic status of the study lakes. The δ13CPUFA values of macroinvertebrates were positively related with the δ13CPUFA of periphyton and weakly with δ13CPUFA of terrestrial leaf material. The results indicate that EPA in the studied macroinvertebrate taxa was mainly derived from an algal‐based diet and not via biosynthesis from allochthonous precursor FA. Thus, macroinvertebrate production in lakes may be limited by the available algae‐based food sources.

Lacticaseibacillus paracasei as a Modulator of Fatty Acid Compositions and Vitamin D3 in Cream.

Butter is an important source of essential fatty acids, lipid-soluble vitamins, and antioxidants in the diet. However, this study showed that the presence of the Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain has a great influence on the fatty acid profile as well as provitamin D3 and vitamin D3 content in the cream—the raw material from which the butter is obtained. The addition of this lactic acid bacteria enriches the cream in 9-hexadecenoic acid, oleic acid, octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid, and conjugated linoleic acid, which exhibit antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. Moreover, a higher level of monounsaturated fatty acids can extend the shelf life of butter in the future. In the present work, we observed that the presence of lactic acid bacteria contributed to an increase in the level of provitamin D after 6 h of incubation and an increase in the levels of vitamin D3 after 24 and 48 h. Fatty acid profiles and the content of vitamins were largely dependent on the presence of light and mixing, which are probably associated with the status of lipid peroxidation.

Transcriptome Profile Reveals Genetic and Metabolic Mechanisms Related to Essential Fatty Acid Content of Intramuscular Longissimus thoracis in Nellore Cattle.

Beef is a source of essential fatty acids (EFA), linoleic (LA) and alpha-linolenic (ALA) acids, which protect against inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases in humans. However, the intramuscular EFA profile in cattle is a complex and polygenic trait. Thus, this study aimed to identify potential regulatory genes of the essential fatty acid profile in Longissimus thoracis of Nellore cattle finished in feedlot. Forty-four young bulls clustered in four groups of fifteen animals with extreme values for each FA were evaluated through differentially expressed genes (DEG) analysis and two co-expression methodologies (WGCNA and PCIT). We highlight the ECHS1, IVD, ASB5, and ERLIN1 genes and the TF NFIA, indicated in both FA. Moreover, we associate the NFYA, NFYB, PPARG, FASN, and FADS2 genes with LA, and the RORA and ELOVL5 genes with ALA. Furthermore, the functional enrichment analysis points out several terms related to FA metabolism. These findings contribute to our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying the beef EFA profile in Nellore cattle finished in feedlot.

Positional Assignment of C-C Double Bonds in Fatty Acyl Chains of Intact Arsenosugar Phospholipids Occurring in Seaweed Extracts by Epoxidation Reactions.

Water-soluble diacyl arsenosugar phospholipids (As-PL) are natural products widespread in marine animals and algae, including the brown alga Undaria pinnatifida, also known as wakame. The systematic recognition of As-PL has been hampered by the lack of standard and of qualitative methods to establish the carbon-carbon double bond positions of unsaturated fatty acyl chains. Here, the epoxidation reaction of fatty acyl substituents of As-PL was carried out with high selectivity by meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid and the C-C double bond localization was established by collision-induced dissociation of epoxidized species as deprotonated molecules, [epoM - H]-. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) separation and a sequential triple-stage MS (i.e., MS3) analysis of unsaturated and epoxidized As-PL were very helpful to characterize the carbon-carbon double bond locations of both sn-1 and sn-2 fatty acyl chains, starting from a diagnostic product ion pair with 16.0 Da mass difference. These results indicate that intact As-PL can be annotated in terms of fatty acyl chain composition and in terms of their C-C double bond position(s). Interestingly, hexadecenoic (16:1 Δ9) and octadecenoic (18:1 Δ9) along with octadecadienoic (18:2 Δ9,12) and octadecatrienoic (18:3 Δ9,12,15) were found to be the most abundant unsaturated fatty acyl chains of As-PL in the brown alga wakame, thus confirming it as a good source of essential fatty acids with a balanced ω6/ω3 ratio. Although the toxicity of As-including metabolites of algal As-PL is still a matter of debate and needs to be studied in more detail, the described approach can be exploited to assess if As-PL could contribute to the supply of essential fatty acids related to the use of algae as nutritious food.

Exploiting encapsulated Himalayan walnut oil as a vivid source of essential fatty acids for the development of novel functional bread

SummaryThe basic aim of the study was to utilise Himalayan Walnut oil (HWO) encapsulated in soy protein isolate (SPI)–maltodextrin (MD)–pectin (Pec) complex as a potential source of omega fatty acids for bread fortification. Encapsulated HWO was integrated with bread for enhanced quality and technological aspects compared to control: it contained protein (9–19%), fat (6–8%), alpha‐linolenic acid (37.50%) with lower carbohydrate (35–42%) content. The baked loaves depicted higher specific loaf volume (3.85–4.85 cm3 g−1) with low hardness (4.24–5 N) due to the presence of hydrocolloids. Crust and crumb colour revealed a significant effect on the appearance of bread, with an increase in the antioxidant activity as assessed by 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (80%), 2,2′‐Azino‐bis (3‐Ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐Sulfonic Acid) (100%) and Metal Chelating Activity (10%). Compared to control, addition of encapsulated HWO increased final product quality by lowering oil oxidation during storage period. Scanning electron microscopic analysis showed intact encapsulated oil bodies in crumb after baking, thereby demonstrating high omega fatty acid retention.

2016 Cracking the Egg Potential During Pregnancy and Lactation

It should not be surprising that a simple egg, which provides a chicken embryo nutritive support from conception to the time it hatches, might also be an important food to support fetal growth and development during pregnancy. Eggs have great potential to improve nutrition among vulnerable populations living in resource-poor settings. They provide a nearly complete source of protein and are also an important source of essential fatty acids, choline, vitamins A and B12, selenium, and other critical nutrients. At the same time, compared to other animal-source foods, they cost less and are available and valued as a food in virtually all parts of the world.

The Bioactive Compounds and Fatty Acid Profile of Bitter Apple Seed Oil Obtained in Hot, Arid Environments

Bitter apple or tumba (Citrullus colocynthis L.) is a prostrate annual herb belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is highly tolerant against multiple abiotic stresses like drought, heat, and soil salinity and can easily grow on very marginal soil, even on sand dunes in hot, arid regions. Tumba fruit is a fleshy berry 5–10 cm in diameter and of a pale yellow color at ripening. The tumba fruit used in this research was harvested from the ICAR-CIAH, Bikaner research farm. The seeds were separated, and their oil was extracted to analyze its physical characteristics and composition (phytochemical compounds, fatty acid profile, etc.). The seeds of the tumba fruit contained 23–25% golden-yellow-colored oil with a specific gravity of 0.92 g/mL. The extracted oil contained appreciable amounts of phytochemical (bioactive) compounds like phenolics (5.39 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (938 mg catechin eq./100 g), carotenoids (79.5 mg/kg), oryzanol (0.066%), and lignans (0.012%), along with 70–122 mg AAE/100 g total antioxidant activity (depending on the determination method). The results of fatty acid profiling carried out by GC-MS/MS demonstrated that tumba seed oil contained about 70% unsaturated fatty acids with more than 51% polyunsaturated fatty acids. It mainly contained linoleic acid (C18:2n6; 50.3%), followed by oleic acid (C18:1n9; 18.0%), stearic acid (C18:0; 15.2%), and palmitic acid (C16:0; 12.4%). Therefore, this oil can be considered as a very good source of essential fatty acids like omega-6 fatty acid (linoleic acid), whereas it contains a lower concentration of omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acid) and hydroxy polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, it also contains some odd chain fatty acids like pentadecanoic and heptadecanoic acid (C15:0 and C17:0, respectively), which have recently been demonstrated to be bioactive compounds in reducing the risk of cardiometabolic diseases. The results of this study suggest that tumba seed oil contains several health-promoting bioactive compounds with nutraceutical properties; hence, it can be an excellent dietary source.

Glycerophospholipidomics of Five Edible Oleaginous Microgreens.

Microgreens are a special type of vegetal product, born as a culinary novelty (traditionally used to garnish gourmet dishes) and then progressively studied for their potentially high content in nutraceuticals, like polyphenolic compounds, carotenoids, and glucosinolates, also in the perspective of implementing their cultivation in space stations/colonies. Among further potential nutraceuticals of microgreens, lipids have received very limited attention so far. Here, glycerophospholipids contained in microgreens of typical oleaginous plants, namely, soybean, chia, flax, sunflower, and rapeseed, were studied using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), coupled to high-resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) or low-resolution collisionally induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (CID-MS2) with electrospray ionization (ESI). Specifically, this approach was employed to obtain qualitative and quantitative profiling of the four main classes of glycerophospholipids (GPL) found in the five microgreens, i.e., phosphatidylcholines (PC), phosphatidylethanolamines (PE), phosphatidylglycerols (PG), and phosphatidylinositols (PI). Saturated chains with 16 and 18 carbon atoms and unsaturated 18:X (with X = 1-3) chains emerged as the most common fatty acyl substituents of those GPL; a characteristic 16:1 chain (including a C═C bond between carbon atoms 3 and 4) was also found in some PG species. Among polyunsaturated acyl chains, the 18:3 one, likely referred mainly to α-linolenic acid, exhibited a relevant incidence, with the highest estimated amount (corresponding to 160 mg per 100 g of lyophilized vegetal tissue) found for chia. This outcome opens interesting perspectives for the use of oleaginous microgreens as additional sources of essential fatty acids, especially in vegetarian/vegan diets.