Abstract:
Peanut is one of the most important oil seed crops cultivated in the world. It is used in
variety of food products, especially in the production of peanut oil. Thus, identification
of healthy fatty acid profile (FAP) containing varieties is important for human nutrition
and health. The total FAP of some peanut varieties are reported globally. However,
extremely limited studies have been conducted on FAPs of peanut varieties/lines in Sri
Lanka. Therefore, objective of this study was to evaluate the saturated, monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated FAPs of selected peanut lines (to be released as varieties) in
Sri Lanka. Peanut lines, namely ICGV 3089, ICGV 04195, ICGV 4118, ICGV 3098, ICGV
00068, ICGV 06214, ICGV 87187, ICGV 00073, ICGV 06233, ICGV 05198, ICGV 3090 and
Red Spanish were used in this study. Fat was extracted from peanut flour, derivatized
to methyl esters and analyzed by gas chromatography. Results showed that saturated,
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) of selected peanut lines were
in the range of 18.94±0.00 to 23.42±0.01%, 40.98±0.00 to 56.98±0.01% and 24.08±0.01
to 8.38±0.02%, respectively by total FAs content. The saturated FAs in selected peanut
lines were Palmitic (C16:0), Heptadecanoic (C17:0), Stearic (C18:0), Arachidic (C20:0),
Behenic (C22:0) and Lignoceric (C24:0) acids. The monounsaturated FAs found were
Palmitoleic (C16:1), Oleic (C18:1), Vaccenic (C18:1) and Eicosenic (C20:1) acids, while
polyunsaturated FAs were Linoleic (C18:2) and Linolenic (C18:3) acids. Interestingly,
among these FAs, Palmitic, Oleic and Linoleic acids were the major FAs found in all the
studied peanut lines. These three FAs contributed to 88.73±0.02 to 91.18±0.10% by
the total FAs contents. It is concluded that the best lines in terms of total FAP (highest
unsaturated FAs) were ICGV 04195 and ICGV 00073. Thus, these two peanut lines can
be recommended as the best lines in terms of healthy FAP for varietal release.
