Fatty acids determination from oil sees of Opuntia ficus-indica L. (Miller)

Some proposals for the complete use of the prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indi ca L. Miller) has induced the AA. to evaluate by GC the fatty acids from th e oil seeds of the main varieties. According to the results, the seeds of t he White, Yellow and Red varieties are suitable for the production of alime ntary oil; even though, owing to a few composition differences, the white a nd red fruits are preferable to the yellow ones. The oil From the seeds of the Yellow variety results altogether less rich in linoleic acid oleic acid s, while it presents a higher concentration of linolenic, palmitic, acid my ristic acids.