Triacylglycerols and fatty acids composition of egusi seed oil (Cucumeropsis Mannii Naudin)

Abstract

Triacylglycerols were determined from a Cameroonian (African) white egusi seed oil (Cucumeropsis Mannii Naudin) using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. The fatty acid composition of two types of seed (red and white) is obtained by capillary gas chromatography. The study of the triacyiglycerol composition obtained in white egusi seed oil revealed that only nine triacylglycerols were present in amounts above 1% (area). The first five triglycerides represent more than 80% of the total triacylglycerols, and the major triacyiglycerol was palmitoyldilinoleoylglycerol, accounting for 23.6% of the oil. This oil contains a high proportion of linoleic acid (60% wt/wt).