Fatty acid and sterol compositions of seed oil from the Australian baobab: Adansonia gregorii

Abstract

Baobab seeds contain 12.3% oil. The oil gives a positive Halphen test showing the presence of cyclopropenoic acids, and contained palmitic 25, stearic 2.5, oleic 34, linoleic 25, malvalic 5, sterculic 1 and dihydrosterculic acid 1%. Eight sterols were separated and tentatively analysed by gas-liquid chromatography. The main sterols were beta-sitosterol 75, Delta 7-avenosterol 12 and campesterol 6%.