FAT-CONTENT AND FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION IN INDIVIDUAL SEEDS OF PISTACHIO VARIETIES GROWN IN TURKEY

Fat content, fatty acid composition, and some individual nut characteristics of eight different pistachio varieties from Turkey were analysed. Percent kernel varied from 40.6 ('Vahidi') to 53.6% ('Antep'). No significant differences in moisture content between the varieties were seen. Internal kernel colour CIE (a* + b*) ranged from 10.4 ('Ohadi') to 32.6 ('Sefidi') Palmitic acid was the main saturated fatty acid (7.2-10.5%) followed by stearic acid (0.9-2.5%). The main monounsaturated fatty acid in kernels was found to be oleic acid (54.4-71.8%). Only traces of palmitoleic acid were identified (0.6-1.4%). Linoleic acid was found as the dominant polyunsaturated fatty acid (16.7-35.3%) whereas linolenic acid represented less than 2%. Possible genetically similar groups according to fat and fatty acid characteristics were observed among the different varieties. Oleic desaturease seemed to be responsible for the variation in fatty acid composition of different pistachio nut varieties.