Fatty and amino acids composition of melon (Cucumis melo var. saccharinus)seeds

Seeds obtained from melon (Cucumis melo var. saccharinus Naud, cv. Daimiel commercially classified as "Pele de Sapo") were analyzed for their proximat e composition. The seeds contained high percentage of lipids (32.3%) and pr oteins (19.3%). Freshly extracted oil presented acid and peroxide values of 1.76 and 4.02, respectively. The iodine and saponification values were 109 .6 and 191.4, respectively, Gas chromatographic analysis of the oil reveale d the presence of 23 fatty acids varying from C-6 to C-24 with the exceptio n of C-11, C-19, C-21 and C-23. The concentrations of individual fatty acid s varied from trace (less than 0.06%) quantities to about 51%. Linoleic, ol eic, palmitic, and stearic acids were the principal fatty acids contributin g to 51, 31, 8.5 and 6.1%, respectively, of the total fatty acids which had a relatively high percentage (82.76%) of unsaturated fatty acids. Seed pro teins were deficient in the essential amino acids methionine, lysine, threo nine and valine. Methionine and lysine were the first and second limiting a mino acids, while arginine, aspartic and glutamic acids (13.4, 8.9 and 19.7 g/100 g of proteins, respectively), were present in good quantities. (C) 2 001 Academic Press.