Characterization of seed oils of wild, edible Finnish berries

A chemotaxonomic screening of the seed oil fatty acids of 22 common, edible berry species belonging to 13 genera (Vaccinium, Oxycoccus, Arctostaphylos, Empetrum, Hippophae, Chamaepericlymenum, Sambucus, Rosa, Fragaria, Rubus, Sorbus, Prunus and Ribes) that grow wild in northern Europe was carried out. The highest oil content in the seeds (approximate to 30% d.w.) was measured in Vaccinium, Oxycoccus and Sambucus, and the lowest in Arctostaphylos, Empetrum, Rosa and Chamaepericlymenum species (<10% d.w.). The smaller the seed of a berry species within a genus, the higher was the oil content. The mass of 100 seeds varied from 10 mg (V. myrtillus) to 2950 mg (P. padus). Fatty acids of triacylglycerols were analysed as methyl esters by gas chromatography. Typically the most abundant fatty acids were linoleic, alpha-linolenic, oleic and palmitic acids. Exceptions were S. aucuparia and P. padus, which contained hardly any alpha-linolenic acid. Currants (Ribes nigrum, Ri. spicatum and Ri. alpinum) also contained gamma-linolenic acid (11-16 mol%) and stearidonic acid (3-6 mol%). The content and composition of the seed oil of various berry species within the same genus, or within the same family, were similar, thus supporting the commonly accepted taxonomic classification.