The chemical composition of fruits of Pistacia adanlica Desf. subsp allantica from Algeria

The chemical composition of the fruits of the north algerian ecotype Pistacia atlantica subsp. atlantica was determined and compared to other fruits of different species in the genus growing in south Algeria and other Mediterranean regions. These fruits were analyzed for their dry matter, protein, crude oil, ash, fatty acids, and phytosterol content. The main fatty acids identified by gas chromatography were oleic (54.15%), linoleic (28.84%,), and palmitic (12.21%) acids. The fruits of the north ecotype were found to be rich in protein, oil, fiber, and unsaturated fatty acids, suggesting that they may be valuable for food uses. The sterols isolated were campesterol. stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, and Delta(5)-avenasterol with beta-sitosterol as the major constituent (85%+/- 0.85). The biochemical data indicated an elevated MUFA rate (similar to 56%) in pistacia oil which may be important against certain pathologies for its nutritional and preventive virtues.