Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis): a seed source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, phytoserols, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 141; no. 3
• Main Authors: Chirinos, R, Zuloeta, G, Pedreschi Plasencia, R.P
• Format: Journal Article
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: assay; chemical-composition; cultivars; flaxseed; foods; l. seeds; oil; oxidative stability; spectroscopy; united-states
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072

Fatty acids (FA), phytosterols, tocopherols, phenolic compounds, total carotenoids and hydrophilic and lipophilic ORAC antioxidant capacities were evaluated in 16 cultivars of Sacha inchi (SI) seeds with the aim to valorise them and offer more information on the functional properties of SI seeds. A high a linolenic (a-Ln) fatty acid content was found in all cultivars (¿3, 12.8–16.0 g/100 g seed), followed by linoleic (L) fatty acid (¿6, 12.4–14.1 g/100 g seed). The ratio ¿6/¿3 was within the 0.83–1.09 range. ¿- and d-tocopherols were the most important tocopherols, whereas the most representative phytosterols were ß-sitosterol and stigmasterol. Contents of total phenolics, total carotenoids and hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacities ranged from 64.6 to 80 mg of gallic acid equivalent/100 g seed; from 0.07 to 0.09 mg of ß-carotene equivalent/100 g of seed; from 4.3 to 7.3 and, from 1.0 to 2.8 µmol of Trolox equivalent/g of seed, respectively, among the evaluated SI cultivars. Results showed significant differences (p <0.05) among the evaluated SI cultivars in the contents of ¿3, ¿6, antioxidant capacities and other evaluated phytochemicals. SI seeds should be considered as an important dietary source of health promoting phytochemicals.