Fatty acid composition of some walnut ( Juglans regia L. ) cultivars from east Anatolia

Abstract

In this study, the fatty acid composition of different walnut (Juglans regia L.) cultivars grown in Adilcevaz in east Anatolia was determined. The total oil content of the walnuts ranged from 65.00 ± 0.06 to 70.00 ± 0.58 %. The oleic acid content of the oils ranged from 22.63 to 27.27 % of the total fatty acids while the linoleic acid and linolenic contents ranged from 49.93 to 54.41 % and 14.32 to 17.82 % respectively. The palmitic acid content of the walnuts ranged from 5.61 % to 5.82 % while there was a trace amount of miristic acid (<0.1 %) in the samples. Finally, the fatty acid results indicated that walnut cultivars from east Anatolia were distinctive in terms of their linolenic acid profile. These results might be significant for selection studies in order to better identify walnut varieties for healthy diets.