The triglyceride composition of linseed oil

Abstract

The triglyceride composition of linseed oils obtained under different ecological conditions and having different fatty acid compositions was determined by a combination of several chromatographic techniques. The triglyceride mixture was first separated in 8 fractions of different polarity by reversed-phase paper chromatography. Each glyceride fraction was then separated in a partition chromatographic system as the triglyceride coordination complexes with silver ions into individual compounds. The fatty acid compositions of the original oil, single glyceride fractions, and individual triglycerides were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The molar ratio between the two neighboring glyceride fractions was determined by relating the fatty acid composition of each fraction to the fatty acid composition of their sum. The triglyceride composition of the total oil was then calculated from these results. The presence of 18–19 triglycerides was ascertained in the samples studied, and the molar concentration of each glyceride was estimated. Linseed oil contains only triunsaturated and monosaturated-diunsaturated triglycerides. Within each of these types the fatty acid distribution is close to random. At the same time, the content of some triglycerides departed regularly from a random pattern. A method for calculation of linseed oil triglyceride composition from the fatty acid composition is given. The same general pattern of glyceride formation in linseed is followed regardless of ecological conditions; therefore, the qualitative and quantitative triglyceride composition reflects the differences in fatty acid composition of linseed oil. © 1965, American Oil Chemists’ Society. All rights reserved.