Abstract
Lipid compositions of two non-conventional oilseeds (Irvingia gabonensis and Treculia africana) were studied. Total lipids were extracted by the Folch method and phospholipids were isolated by solid phase extraction. Fatty acid compositions of total lipids and phospholipids were determined by gas chromatography. Phospholipid classes and tocopherols were quantified by HPLC. The major fatty acids in I. gabonensis seed total lipids were myristic (41.4-48.9 %) and lauric (39.8-46.8 %) while those in T. africana seed were linoleic (29.1-31.4 %) and oleic (22.9-25.9 %). The principal fatty acid at the sn-2 position of I. gabonensis seed triacylglycerols was myristic (49.5 %) while that of T. africana was linoleic (50.6 %). Phospholipid content of crude T. africana seed oil was 3.3 % and that of I. gabonensis was 0.1-0.3 %. The composition and distribution of saturated fatty acids in I. gabonensis seed lipids suggest that it may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk factors among the Igbo people in Nigeria that use the seed as food ingredient.