MAJOR COMPOUNDS STUDY IN FRUIT PULP OILS OF 6 GUIANA PALMS SPECIES

Oils from the fruit mesocarps of six palm species were studied (Jessen ia bataua Jacq., Astrocaryum vulgare C. Martius, Euterpe oleracea C. M artius, Oenocarpus bacaba C. Martius, Elaeis oleifera H.B.K. Cortes, B actris gasipaes H.B.K.). The fatty acid composition, determined by gas chromatography (GC), revealed the predominance of oleic acid in all t he oils (39 to 70%). GC analysis of the sterols revealed the existence of delta 5 sterols and beta sitosterol in particular (36 to 78%) in t he oils. Finally, an HPLC study of the tocopherols and tocotrienols ge nerally showed a strong predominance of alpha tocopherol in the bandin g patterns, but also the existence of tocotrienols in varying proporti ons. Only the oil from the Elaeis oleifera H.B.K. Cortes species was r icher in tocotrienols than in tocopherols.