Quality analysis of fatty acids and lecithin composition of 20 kinds of fresh walnut

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to explore the correlation between the types and contents of fatty acids and lecithin in fresh walnut. Methods: A kinds of 20 walnuts were selected from Chengdu in Sichuan Province. The method of the gas chromatography and the high performance liquid chromatography were used for quantitative determination. Correlation analysis and cluster analysis were used to analyze the results. Results: The fatty acid composition of 20 kinds of fresh walnut was the same basically, with significant differences in content （P＜0.05）. Longnan 15 had the highest oleic acid content. The contents of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid and cis-11-eicosenoic acid of Guangfeng 1 were the highest. The variation coefficient of lecithin was relatively small, and the content of lecithin was the highest in Xilo 3. The content of lecithin in fresh walnut had a high correlation with the content of fatty acids, and unsaturated fatty acids are highly associated. When the euclide distance was 15, the 20 walnut species could be divided into 3 categories. Conclusion: Longnan 15 and Guangfeng 1 are walnut varieties with high oil quality relatively; Xilo 3 is a walnut variety resource with high content of lecithin relatively.

Keywords

• walnut
• fatty acids
• lecithin
• correlation analysis
• cluster analysis