Oil composition of pistachio nuts (Pistacia vera L.) from Turkey

The oil content, fatty acid and sterol compositions and other parameters of pistachio nut (Pistacia vera L.) samples corresponding to five different varieties, all cultivated in Turkey were determined. Mean values were 59.69 +/- 1.80% for fat content, 0.9143 +/- 0.006 for specific gravity of the oil, 1.4693 +/- 0.004 for refractive index, 94.23 +/- 1.510 for iodine value, and 188.2 +/- 3.80 for saponification value. Fatty acids identified in the oil samples were palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids with oleic acid as the dominant fatty acid (68.78 +/- 2.05%). Halebi variety had the highest level of oleic acid among the varieties studied. The sterols isolated from the unsaponifiable fraction were campesterol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, and Delta(5)-avenasterol with beta-sitosterol as the major constituent (84.95 +/- 2.80%). Higher levels of beta-sitosterol were found in Kirmizi variety. The high level of oil, oleic acid and beta-sitosterol content was found in all the varieties studied. Fat content, iodine value, palmitic acid and oleic acid content significantly differed between varieties.