Wild almond (Amygdalus pedunculata Pall.) as potential nutritional resource for the future: studies on its chemical composition and nutritional value

Wild almond germplasm resources have still not received enough attention in the chemical composition and application of seeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical composition and analyze the nutritional value of longstalk almond seeds (Amygdalus pedunculata Pall., a native species of China and Mongolia). In order to evaluate the nutritional value of samples, parameters including the protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and the oxidative stability were measured. Results indicated that the seeds were rich in crude fat (49.34g/100g) and crude protein (22.30g/100g). The average content of amygdalin was 3.55%. The amino acids in the seeds were abundant but incomplete. The content of unsaturated fatty acid in the seed oil reached 97.89%, which was mostly comprised of oleic acid and linoleic acid. Five different sugars, namely fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose, were detected in the seeds. With regard to mineral composition, the seeds contained ten mineral elements and high concentrations of Zn, Ca, and Se. The nuts were also an excellent source of vitamin E, vitamin B3, folate, phytosterols, and phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values (18.64 +/- 0.2 mu mol TE/g) indicated that the seeds were a good dietary source of antioxidants. In addition, these findings are important for the nutrition sciences, because fatty acids, lipid soluble vitamins, phytosterols, flavonoid, phenolic compounds and ORAC, in particular, seem to have considerable effect on health.