Eight minor fatty acids (C10:0, C12:0, C14:0, C15:0, C17:0, C17:1,
C18:3, and C20:0) have been
determined in the kernel of 19 almond cultivars grown in the same field
and year, using gas
chromatography. Submission of minor fatty acids along with the
major ones (C16:0, C16:1, C18:0,
C18:1, and C18:2) to multivariate techniques (principal component
analysis, cluster analysis,
discriminant analysis) contributes to characterizing this set. In
comparison to previous studies,
the minor fatty acids enable further subdivision within the group of
the Mediterranean almonds.
The American cultivar Titan, though classified near the cultivars
Wavona, Genco and Tuono, presents
the fatty acid profile most similar to the Spanish cultivars. The
Spanish cultivar Marcona, which
is classified with the Spanish Ramillete, Cebas, Desmayo Largueta, and
Del Cid and the American
Non Pareil, shows some particular features. Discriminant analysis
was applied to the four groups
previously established by cluster analysis.
Keywords: Chemometrics; almond; fatty acids; characterization; gas
chromatography; multivariate
techniques