COMPOSITION OF TOTAL LIPIDS FROM ACACIA-ARABICA AND ACACIA-FARNESIANA SEED OILS

Abstract

Total purified lipid fractions (4% on the dry weight basis) obtained from the seeds of Acacia arabica and A. farnesiana were found to be 69.9% and 78.5% neutral and 31.1% and 21.5% polar lipids respectively. Fatty acid composition of all separated lipid classes was also determined. The triglyceride percentage in A. farnesiana was higher (58.28%) than in A. arabica (39.5%), whereas the percentage of hydrocarbon-wax-ester was lower (0.31%) in A. farnesiana and higher (9.6%) in A. arabica. Other lipid classes of the two species were quantitatively similar in their relative percentages. The major fatty acids in all the lipid classes were found to be C16:0, C18:1 and C18:2. Lipid classes of A. farnesiana contained relatively higher amounts of C18:2, while those of A. arabica contained higher amounts of C18:1.