title: Fatty acid and carotenoid composition of gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng) fruit.
abstract: In this study, we analyzed fatty acid and carotenoid composition of fruit tissues, including seed (which are surrounded by a bright red, oily aril) of Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng, known as gac in Vietnam. Carotenoid content was analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC, using a C(30) column and a method separating cis- and trans-isomers of the major carotenoids in this fruit. Mean values obtained in aril tissues were 1342 microg trans-, 204 microg cis-, and 2227 microg total lycopene; 597 microg trans-, 39 microg cis-, and 718 microg total beta-carotene; and 107 microg alpha-carotene/g FW. Mesocarp contained 11 microg trans-, 5 microg cis-beta-carotene/g FW, trace amounts of alpha-carotene, and no lycopene. Gac aril contained 22% fatty acids by weight, composed of 32% oleic, 29% palmitic, and 28% linoleic acids. Seeds contained primarily stearic acid (60.5%), smaller amounts of linoleic (20%), oleic (9%), and palmitic (5-6%) acids, and trace amounts of arachidic, cis-vaccenic, linolenic, and palmitoleic, eicosa-11-enoic acids, and eicosa-13-enoic (in one fruit only) acids.
authors.affiliation: Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, California 94710, USA. bkishida@pw.usda.gov
authors.forename: Betty K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Charlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Mary H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: McKeon
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077276:Lycopene; D029775:Momordica / Q000737:chemistry*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene; D000077276:Lycopene