FATTY-ACID AND GLYCERIDE COMPOSITION OF ASTROCARYUM-VULGARE KERNEL FAT

Abstract

The kernel composition, lipid classes, fatty acid composition, fatty acid distribution on triglycerides and triglyceride composition of kernel fat from Astrocaryum vulgare Mart palms grown in Nigeria have been studied. Kernels had a high fat content. Lauric acid was the predominant fatty acid in the whole fat and was also the major fatty acid in the triglycerides and in the 2-monoglycerides derived from them by pancreatic lipase hydrolysis. All the fatty acids exhibited a preference for the 1-and-3, positions of triglycerides, except for lauric which showed a preference for the 2-position and oleic which exhibited a random distribution. The trisaturated triglycerides were the predominant triglyceride type and the fatty acid composition of the various triglycerides suggested an absence of completely unsaturated triglycerides.