Fatty Acid Composition of Seed Oil from <i>Fremontodendron californicum</i>

Abstract

The fatty acid composition of the low water-use shrub Fremontodendron californicum was examined by high temperature capillary gas chromatography. The ground seeds were extracted by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) to obtain the oil (25.6% w/w) and for subsequent determination of the fatty acid composition. There are five fatty acids present at 1.0% or greater with linoleic 71% of the total. Oleic, palmitic, stearic, vaccenic plus traces of palmitoleic and linolenic comprise the remainder. The fatty acid methyl ester composition would make the oil suitable for biodiesel production.