Chemical characterization of Chinese chive seed (Allium tuberosum Rottl.)

Chinese chive seeds (Allium tuberosum Rottl.) (grown in China) were investigated. Density, thousand-grain weight, and hectolitre weight of seeds were 1.27 g/cm(3), 4.9 g, and 71 kg/1001, respectively. The results showed that Chinese chive seeds contained high amounts of oil (15.8%), dietary fibre (18.2%) and crude protein (12.3%). Oil of seeds was composed of 10.1% saturated and 90.0% unsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic(69.1%) and palmitic (7.0%) were the most abundant unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, respectively. Chinese chive seeds contained 4.5 mg/kg of thiamin, 2.8 mg/kg of riboflavin and 55.1 mg/kg of niacin. The mineral contents of the seed of A. tuberosum, for iron, calcium and zinc, were 580 mg/kg, 1328 and 80.8 mg/kg,. respectively. Analysis of the amino acid content of Chinese chive seed revealed that it was a rich source of the essential amino acids, isoleucine, tryptophan and lysine. The study revealed that Chinese chive seeds had high levels of nutritionally important components. such as oil.. minerals and essential amino acids. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.