Sd. Senter et al., COMPARISON OF TOTAL LIPIDS, FATTY-ACIDS, SUGARS AND NONVOLATILE ORGANIC-ACIDS IN NUTS FROM 4 CASTANEA SPECIES, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 65(2), 1994, pp. 223-227
Total lipid percentage and fatty acid ratios in nuts from Castanea den
tata (Marsh) Borkh (American), C sativa Mill (European), C mollissima
Bl (Chinese) chestnuts and C pumila (L) Mill (chinkapin) were signific
antly different among all species and among individuals within species
. Total lipids and fatty acids were greatest in American chestnuts fol
lowed by chinkapins, then European chestnuts, and lowest in Chinese ch
estnuts. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids compri
sed the fatty acid complement in all species. Free sugars (fructose, g
lucose and sucrose) and the sugar-alcohol inositol did not differ sign
ificantly (P > 0.05) by species except in the European chestnuts where
fructose and glucose were absent. Citric acid was present in all spec
ies except the European chestnuts. Malic acid was present in all speci
es except in the American chestnuts. These results can be used to test
nuts of new hybrids being bred for nut orchards and for wildlife mast
production.