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Fatty acid composition of peanut seed oil in four varieties cultivated in Tunisia showed that linoleic (C18:2), oleic (C18:1) and palmitic (C16) acids account for more than 84% for Chounfakhi and Massriya and for more than 85% of the total fatty acids of Trabilsia and Sinya seed oil respectively. Seed oil contents were signifi cantly diff erent (P ≤ 0.05) and did not exceed 48%. The study of total phenolics revealed that Chounfakhi contained more total phenolics (2.1 mg GAE/g DW), followed by the Massriya and Sinya cultivars (1.35 mg GAE/g DW for each); Trabilsia presented the lowest total phenolic content with 1 mg GAE/g DW. Considerable antiradical ability was found, especially in the Trabilsia peanut seed cultivar (IC50 = 1550 μg/ml), the Massriya and Sinya cultivars had, respectively, 720 and 820 mg/ml IC50. In the Massriya variety the sterol fraction showed antibacterial activity against Listeria ivanovii, Listeria inocua, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococus aureus, Enterococcus hirae and Bacillus cereus.

The present investigation was carried out for the analysis of hydrocarbon compounds of Tunisian Meski olives. The hydrocarbon fraction of the oils was found to contain twelve n-alkanes (C 22 -C 36 ) and squalene. Results from the quantitative characterisation of the oils revealed that squalene was the most abundant hydrocarbon compound, at all development stages of Meski olive, accounting for more 92% of total hydrocarbons. Pentacosane (C 25 ), heptacosane (C 27 ) and tricosane (C 23 ) represented the major compounds of n-alkanes. The highest accumulation of n-alkanes and squalene was observed at early stages of olive development [before 21st week after the flowering date (WAFD)]. The greatest decrease of these components occurred between 21st and 26th WAFD of the olives. At complete maturity of the fruit, the level of squalene and total n-alkanes was 126.52 and 9.13 mg per 100 g oil, respectively. Hence, the content of n-alkanes and squalene was remarkably influenced by the ripeness process of olive.

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