Abstract
Niger (Guizotia abyssinica Cass.) seeds were extracted with chloroform/methnol (2:1, v/v) and total lipid content was 49.9% of seed weight. The major fatty acid was linoleic acid followed by oleic acid as a second unsaturated fatty acid. Palmitic acid was the major saturated fatty acid followed by stearic acid. Column chromatography with solvent of increasing polarity yielded 93.0% neutral lipids, 4.90% glycolipids and 0.60% phospholipids (PL). Polar lipids were characterized by higher palmitic acid and lower linoleic acid levels. PL subclasses were separated via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The major individual PL subclasses were found to be phosphatidylcholine followed by phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine, respectively. Phosphatidylglycerol and lysophosphatidylcholine, on the other hand, were detected in smaller quantities. The predominant PL-bound fatty acids presented were linoleic, palmitic and oleic acids. (C) 2003 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.