Chemical Characterization of the Lipid Fraction of Mexican Chia Seed (Salvia hispanica L.)

Figures & data

Table 1 Oil, saponifiable (SM) and unsaponifiable (USM) matter content (mean ± SD; n = 6) of chia seeds

Origin	(g/100 g seed) Oil content	(g/100 g oil) SM in oil	(g/100 g oil) USM in oil
Sinaloa	25.5 ± 4.55	82.1 ± 8.70	8.42 ± 0.88
Jalisco	29.7 ± 4.05	88.5 ± 2.48	7.74 ± 1.00

Table 2 Fatty acids composition of Sinaloa and Jalisco chia oil compared with reported data. Data are expressed as g/100 g of total fatty acid methyl esters

Fatty acid	Sinaloa	Jalisco	Chia ^a	Chia ^b	Chia I ^c	Chia II ^c
Palmitic (C16:0)	6.30	6.20	6.60	27.4	9.90	5.20
Stearic (C18:0)	3.10	3.00	3.30	12.3	16.2	2.90
Oleic (C18:1)	7.50	8.20	7.60	21.2	21.3	7.60
Linoleic (C18:2)	19.9	19.8	20.3	12.8	46.3	15.3
α-Linolenic (C18:3)	61.9	63.4	60.2	15.4	6.30	69.0
Eicosanoic (C20:0)	0.99	1.00	Nr	1.10	Tr	Tr
Nr = not reported; Tr = traces; ^a = average of data reported[7] for chia seeds, presumably Salvia hispanica, from five locations in Argentina; ^b = values for Salvia polystachya;[5] ^c = values for two samples of unspecified species.[6]

Figure 1 Gas chromatography profile of the saponifiable matter of Jalisco (top) and Sinaloa (bottom) chia seeds. Figures on peaks indicate the number of carbon atoms:number of double bonds of fatty acids.

Figure 2 Gas chromatography profile of the saponifiable matter with γ-linolenic acid added as internal standard. The peak at 14.69 min is ascribed to this acid.

Figure 3 Gas chromatography profile of the complete unsaponifiable matter showing the presence of phytosterols and γ-linolenic acid.

Table 3 Phytsoterols content (mean ± SD; n = 3) of Jalisco and Sinaloa chia seeds

	g/kg oil
Region	β-Sitosterol	Stigamasterol	Stigmastanol	Total
Sinaloa	4.59 ± 0.461	1.38 ± 0.633	2.18 ± 1.02	8.15 ± 2.12
Jalisco	7.96 ± 1.52	1.83 ± 0.740	2.77 ± 1.53	12.6 ± 3.80

Table 4 Phytosterols content (g/kg) in chia seed oil and other unrefined seed oils

Source	β-Sitosterol	Stigmasterol	Stigmastanol
Chia Jalisco	7.96	1.83	2.27
Chia Sinaloa	4.59	1.38	2.17
Borage	1.08	0.089	Nr
Evening primrose	8.62	0.044	Nr
Olive	1.33	0.009	Nr
Peanut	0.99	0.134	Nr
Rapeseed	3.93	0.025	Nr
Safflower	1.21	0.144	Nr
Sesame	3.31	0.330	Nr
Sunflower	2.45	0.318	Nr
Nr = not reported; Values for the other unrefined oils include free and sterified sterols.[9]

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