TI: Fat content and fatty acid composition of oils extracted from selected wild-gathered tropical plant seeds from Nigeria.

AU: Ezeagu-IE; Petzke-KJ; Lange-E; Metges-CC
AD: Correspondence (Reprint) address, K. J. Petzke, Deutsches Inst. fuer Ernaehrungsforschung, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, D-14558 Bergholz-Rehbruecke, Germany. E-mail petzke@www.dife.de
PY: 1998
SO: Journal-of-the-American-Oil-Chemists'-Society; 75 (8) 1031-1035, 21 ref.
NU: ISSN: 0003-021X
DT: Journal-Article
LA: En (English)
SC: N Fats-oils-and-margarine

AB: Fat content and fatty acid composition of 15 lesser-known wild tropical seeds gathered in Nigeria were studied in order to identify alternative sources of food in this region; results were compared with 5 tropical soybean var. (Glycine max). Fat contents varied from less than 1% (Pterocarpus santalinoides, Daniellia ogea) to 59% (Entandrophragma angolense). Fatty acid composition of most of the wild and mostly leguminous seeds differed considerably, compared to the composition of tropical soybeans. The oils of Adansonia digitata, Prosopis africana, Afzelia lebbeck, Enterolobium cyclocarpium and Sesbania pachycarpa contained high proportions of linoleic and oleic acid as well as palmitic and linolenic acid. Seeds of Milletia thonningii, Lonchocarpus sericeus, and S. pachycarpa were much higher in linolenic acid and relatively poor in linoleic acid, compared to soybeans. The content of saturated fatty acids [in the seeds analysed] was higher than that of soybeans, resulting in lower polyunsaturated/saturated (P/S) ratios (0.83-2.12) than observed in soybeans (P/S = 3.4), with the exception of S. pachycarpa (P/S = 3.15). Some of these less familiar wild seeds could be used as sources of edible oils, provided that possible toxic constituents could be removed.

DE: FATS-VEGETABLE; FATTY-ACIDS; OILSEEDS-; VEGETABLE-FATS
UD: 199904