Peanut oil: Compositional data

Abstract

The major fatty acids of peanut oil acylglycerols are palmitic (C16:0), oleic (C18:1), and linoleic (C18:2) acids, and only a trace amount of linolenic fatty acid (C18:3) is present. Thus they have a very convenient oxidative stability and have been considered premium cooking and frying oils. This paper provides information about compositional data of peanut oil taking into account major (triacylglycerols and their fatty acids) and minor (free fatty acids, diacylglycerols, phospholipids, sterols, tocopherols, tocotrienols, triterpenic and aliphatic alcohols, waxes, pigments, phenolic compounds, volatiles, and metals) compounds. Moreover, the influence of genotype, seed maturity, climatic conditions, and growth location on peanut oil chemical composition is considered in the present report. In addition, peanut oils from wild species found in South America as well as from peanut lines developed through conventional breeding are also compared. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.