Fatty acids of maize pollen - Quantification, nutritional and morphological evaluation

Abstract

The aim of this work was to identify and quantify fatty acids presented in pollen samples collected from six different Serbian maize hybrids by GC capillary method. Due to great importance of fatty acids as food component potential nutritional value of maize pollen as food supplement in human diet was determined. It has been shown that pollen is a great source of different fatty acids, especially unsaturated fatty acids. In total, twenty eight fatty acids were quantify - the most abundant saturated FAs were palmitic and henicosanoic acid; the most prevalent monounsaturated FAs were oleic, elaidic and cis-10-heptadecenoic acid. Linoleic and cis-11,14-eicosadienoic acid were the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid. Also, it was found that FAs composition was significantly influenced by the type of maize hybrids. According to nutritional recommendations, four of six pollen samples had good nutritional quality with unsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio higher than 1.6, but there is unsatisfied distribution of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids as the most important type of unsaturated fatty acids.