TOCOPHEROLS IN FLAXSEED

The tocopherol content of oil from eight flaxseed cultivars grown at f our locations in western Canada for 3 years was determined to examine genotypic and environmental effects. Flaxseed contained an average of 9.3 mg/100 g of total tocopherol in the seed, with gamma-tocopherol re presenting 96-98% of the total tocopherols. The level of tocopherol in flaxseed was cultivar specific and regulated by environmental conditi ons as indicated by the strong cultivar x location x year interaction. Seasonal differences in total tocopherol content were significant, al though the contribution of the delta isomer was constant at 2.5% of th e total tocopherol. In flaxseed, tocopherol content was weakly but pos itively associated with oil content. The ratio of the tocopherol isome rs alpha, gamma, and delta in flaxseed hull at 17: 61:22 was different from that in the seed.