Physicochemical characteristics and nutritional composition of the seeds and oils of Hannoa undulata (Guill. & Perr.) Planch

Hannoa undulata kernels are a potential source of nutrients. However, the nutritional potential of the species remains under-utilised in Burkina Faso. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional composition of the seeds and oil of H. undulata, a neglected species, with a view to improving their utilization. Proximal composition and physicochemical parameters were determined using standard AOAC and AOCS methods. The composition of fatty acids, triglycerides, tocopherols, minerals and amino acids was determined by gas chromatography, HPLC, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS), respectively. The results showed that the oil, protein, carbohydrate and mineral contents of the almonds were (50.6±0.5 %), (33±0.2 %), (13.9 %) and (2.9±0.2 %) respectively. Oleic acid (147792.55 mg/kg), stearic acid (46762.08 mg/kg), palmitic acid (18778.2 mg/kg) and linoleic acid (14004.91 mg/kg) were the dominant fatty acids. Triglycerides are in the majority, with very little hydrolysis. Stearodiolein (SOO) accounts for 50.6 % of triglycerides, while triolein (OOO) makes up 10.8 %. Cysteine (453305.1 mg/kg) and glutamine (69624.84 mg/kg) are the main amino acids in almonds. They contain all the essential amino acids except tryptophan. The total mineral content is 1242.977 mg/100g, including 1237 mg/100g for macronutrients and 5.977 mg/100g for trace elements. This analytical study shows that H. undulata kernels and seed oil are an important source of nutrients for the diet.