Integrated analysis of fatty acid, sterol and tocopherol components of seed oils obtained from four varieties of industrial and environmental protection crops

To assess the economic and ecological value of the four varieties of industrial and environmental protection crops, we performed a comprehensive study on the nutritional components of the seed oils of the four crops based on the urgent search for high-quality oil resources in the face of the shortage of oil resources. In this study, the oil contents and physicochemical parameters of the four varieties of oils obtained with Soxhlet extraction systems were determined, and the content and composition of fatty acids, sterols and tocopherols were investigated. Amygdalus pedunculata Pall. (Amygdalus) seeds with exhibited the highest oil content at 57.30 % followed by Elaeagnus mollis Diels (Elaeagnus) and Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge (Yellowhorn) seeds. Paeonia suffruticosa Andr. (Paeonia) seeds exhibited the lowest oil content at 36.12 %. Oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2), palmitic (C16:0), and stearic acids (C18:0) were the dominant fatty acids in the four seed oils. Yellowhorn oil exhibits the greatest variety of fatty acids (19 types), while Elaeagnus oil exhibited the greatest content (861.83 mg/g). However, the ω-6/ω-3 ratios of Amygdalus (9.38) and Elaeagnus (6.65) oils were in the range of 4:1−10:1. The ratio of saturated fatty acid (SFA):monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA):polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) of Yellowhorn oil is closest to the reasonable ratio (1:1:1), indicating the most balanced nutrition distribution. The main sterol found in the four oils was β-sitosterol. Yellowhorn oil had the highest levels of total sterol (252.22 mg/100 g) followed by Amygdalus (212.28 mg/100 g) and Elaeagnus (171.75 mg/100 g) oils, whereas Paeonia oil had the lowest levels of total sterol (155.58 mg/100 g). Three tocopherol homologues, α-, γ- and δ-tocopherols, were present in four varieties of seed oils. Elaeagnus oil contains the highest α-tocopherol (7.48 mg/100 g) and γ-tocopherol (109.58 mg/100 g) content, demonstrating that it has a greater pro-oxidant effect and a better antioxidant ability, followed by Paeonia and Yellowhorn oils. The results of this study will provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of soil and water conservation plants.