Variation in Fatty Acid Composition of Four Turkish Registered Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) Seeds in two Locations (Ankara and Boldavin) of Turkey

Abstract

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) has two major products: alkaloids in the capsules and the seeds. Poppy seed oil is a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is known that polyunsaturated fatty acids present not only basic nutriments for human body, but protects against cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks and many inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to determine oil content and fatty acids composition in four Turkish registered poppy cultivars grown in experimental fields of the the Agronomy Department, of Ankara University and Bolvadin Factory of Alcaloids at the Afyon province, Turkey. All seeds were sown in 15 October 2009 and harvested in 20 July 2010. The oil was extracted and analysed with hexane by foss soxtec 2055 apparatus and fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography. Seed oil and fatty acids percentage of four different cultivars in two locations were determined. Oil contents of seed varieties ranged 40.20% - 47.95%. The major fatty acid in seed oils was linoleic acid (68.16 - 74.15%) whereas oleic and palmitic acid contents of seed oils ranged 14.22 - 16.47% and 7.96 - 12.87% respectively. In terms of oil content and unsaturated fatty acids concentration Bolvadin location is better compared to Ankara location.