title: Fatty acids and beta-carotene in australian purslane (Portulaca oleracea) varieties.
abstract: The fatty acid profile and beta-carotene content of a number of Australian varieties of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) were determined by GC and HPLC. The total fatty acid content ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 mg/g of fresh mass in leaves, 0.6 to 0.9 mg/g in stems and 80 to 170 mg/g in seeds. alpha-Linolenic acid (C18:3omega3) accounted for around 60% and 40% of the total fatty acid content in leaves and seeds, respectively. Longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids were not detected. The beta-carotene content ranged from 22 to 30 mg/g fresh mass in leaves. These results indicate that Australian purslane varieties are a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid and beta-carotene.
authors.affiliation: Smart Foods Centre, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hocart
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhan
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D019207:beta Carotene