Laribi B, Kouki K, Mougou A, Marzouk B. Fatty acid and essential oil composition of three Tunisian caraway (Carum carvi L.) seed ecotypes.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2010;
90:391-396. [PMID:
20355058 DOI:
10.1002/jsfa.3827]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The essential oil and fatty acid composition of Tunisian annual caraway (Carum carvi L.) seeds from three ecotypes was investigated by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses.
RESULTS
Total fatty acid (TFA) proportion of caraway seeds varied from 2.95% to 5.68% (w/w). The fatty acid composition revealed that Tunisian caraway seed oil is rich in an unusual fatty acid-petroselinic acid-the proportion of which varied from 31.53% and 38.36% of TFA. Essential oil yields were relatively low and ranged from 0.86% to 1.20% (w/w). Forty-one volatile compounds were identified, the main ones being carvone (76.78-80.53%) and limonene (13.05-20.29%).
CONCLUSION
Tunisian caraway seed oil is rich in an unusual fatty acid-petroselinic acid-which is of potential industrial significance. In addition, Tunisian caraway essential oil is carvone chemotype. This fact is of great economic interest due to the several applications of carvone in the alimentary and medicinal industries.
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