Changes in fatty acids composition during seed growth and physicochemical characteristics of oil extracted from four safflower cultivars.

Fatty acid contents at different stages of maturity and physicochemical characteristics of oil extracted from mature seeds of four safflower cultivars (S208, S400, S541, and S303) were studied. Results indicated that for all cultivars both saturated and unsaturated fatty acid contents fluctuated with seed growth and development. Palmitic acid content decreased up to day 20 after which it started to increase for the S400, S541, and S303 cultivars, while for S208 it progressively decreased. Stearic acid fluctuated with seed growth and development. Oleic acid showed slight changes with seed growth and development, while linoleic acid decreased with seed growth and development for the S400, S541, and S303 cultivars while for S208 after day 30, it started to increase significantly. For all cultivars, glyceride contents varied among the cultivars with maximum values of 97.70, 2.80 and 0.20 for tri-, di- and monoglycerides, respectively. Physicochemical investigation of mature seed oils showed that the color, density, refractive index, free fatty acids, peroxide value, saponification value and unsaponifiable matter were similar for all cultivars while viscosity, iodine value, and acetone insoluble matter varied among the cultivars.

Changes in chemical composition, minerals and amino acids during seed growth and development of four safflower cultivars.

Investigation of four safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cultivars (S208, S400, S541 and S303) showed that when the seeds were harvested at different stages of growth and development (10, 20, 30, and 40 days) after flowering, moisture content significantly decreased with time. Oil, protein, ash and crude fiber were increased up to day 30. Thereafter, these parameters started to decline gradually with time. The cultivars differed in their final values; oil content of the seeds varied from 10.90 to 45.40%, moisture varied from 4.20 to 8.10% and from 8.50 to 11.10%, protein from 12.10 to 20.30% and from 13.40 to 29.60%, ash from 2.30 to 5.40% and from 2.80 to 6.50%, for the seeds and defatted meal, respectively. Crude fiber for the defatted meal was found to vary from 29.50 to 38.60%. Carbohydrate for all cultivars decreased rapidly up to day 40 with final values varying from 28.10 to 63.30% and from 56.70 to 70.30% for the seeds and defatted meal, respectively. Mineral content (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mg, Mn) fluctuated while phosphorus content significantly increased with time for all cultivars. Amino acid content of the defatted meal increased with time up to day 30 after which it started to decline gradually for all cultivars.