Fatty Acid Profiles of Oils Extracted with Water from the Seeds of Three Species of Cucurbits Grown in Congo

This study consisted of identifying the differences and similarities between the seed oils of Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita pepo and Cucumeropsis mannii, through the comparative analysis of their fatty acid profiles. The oils studied were extracted by the water method. The acid and peroxide values were determined according to AOAC methods. The fatty acid composition of these oils was determined by gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID). The results of this study demonstrated oil content values varying from 14.35 to 19.46% for the seeds of Lagenaria siceraria and Cucurbita pepo respectively. However, the oil contents of the seeds of Cucurbita pepo and Cucumeropsis mannii are of the same order of magnitude. These contents vary significantly (p<0.05) between the three species studied. The acid and peroxide values were found to comply with Codex Alimentarius standards. The oils studied were found to be very rich in unsaturated fatty acids with cumulative contents of more than 80%. Regardless of the species of seeds considered, four major fatty acids have been identified totaling 99% of the cumulative contents: linoleic (C18:2n-6), oleic (C18:1 n-9), stearic (C18:0) and palmitic (C16:0). The fatty acid profiles of the oils studied differ by their composition in minor fatty acids.