Fatty acids and triacylglycerols in the mesocarp and kernel oils of maturing Costa Rican Acrocomia aculeata fruits
Veronika M. Lieb,
Roland Schex,
Patricia Esquivel,
Víctor M. Jiménez,
H.-G. Schmarr,
Reinhold Carle,
Christof B. Steingass
Affiliations
Veronika M. Lieb
Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Roland Schex
Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; Institute of Beverage Research, Analysis and Technology of Plant-based Foods, Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Straße 1, 65366 Geisenheim, Germany
Patricia Esquivel
School of Food Technology, Universidad de Costa Rica, 2060 San Pedro, Costa Rica
Víctor M. Jiménez
CIGRAS/IIA, Universidad de Costa Rica, 2060 San Pedro, Costa Rica; Food Security Center, University of Hohenheim, Wollgrasweg 43, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
H.-G. Schmarr
Institute for Viticulture and Oenology, Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum (DLR) Rheinpfalz, Breitenweg 71, 67435 Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry, University Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
Reinhold Carle
Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; Biological Science Department, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80257, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Christof B. Steingass
Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, Chair Plant Foodstuff Technology and Analysis, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 25, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; Corresponding author.
Total lipids, fatty acids, and triacylglycerols in mesocarp and kernels from Costa Rican Acrocomia aculeata fruits were characterized at three maturity stages. C16:0 and C18:1n9 were the most abundant fatty acids in the mesocarp. C12:0, C14:0, C16:0, and C18:1n9 prevailed in the kernel oil. Comprehensive HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS and ESI-MSn analysis revealed 125 triacylglycerols with equivalent carbon numbers ranging between 28 and 52. Mesocarp oils mainly contained unsaturated triacylglycerols composed of long-chain fatty acids. In the kernel, high proportions of saturated triacylglycerols with medium-chain fatty acids were observed. Within the maturity stages assessed, fatty acid and triacylglycerol compositions remained unaffected by ripening. Total lipids in the mesocarp increased from 12.1 to 23.4% with progressing maturity, whereas those in the kernel constantly ranged between 54.1 and 56.1%. For the recovery of A. aculeata oil, utilization of all fruits in a bunch at progressed maturity is possible without affecting the composition of its major lipid fractions. Keywords: Total lipids, Macauba, Fruit ripening, Fatty acids, Triacylglycerols, HPLC linear retention indices
