Fagus orientalis (Oriental beechnut) seeds are a good source of essential fatty acids, amino acids and minerals. (Special Issue: Potato V.)

摘要

Oriental beechnut (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) is a decidious tree that is native to Turkey. Although beechnut seeds are widely consumed by the local population, knowledge of their nutrient composition is incomplete. The main purpose of this study was to determine the content of fatty acids, amino acids, and minerals and trace elements in oriental beechnut seeds. Seeds collected from five sites in the Black Sea region and another in the Mediterrenean region were dried, milled and analysed. Whereas the results for the seeds from the five Black Sea sites were similar, those for seeds from the Mediterranean region were slightly different. Fatty acids accounted for 45.0% of the dry weight of the seeds of which 40, 34.1 and 3.66% was contributed by oleic, linoleic and alpha -linolenic acids, respectively. The average protein content was 22.5%; however, the proportions of the essential amino acids lysine, threonine and tryptophan fell below those of the World Health Organization protein standard. Beechnut seed contained nutritionally significant amounts (mg/g dry weight) of calcium (4821), copper (18.1), iron (41.6), magnesium (2053), manganese (619) and zinc (27.8), but reletively low amounts of molybdenum (0.3) and selenium (0.5). This study demonstrates that seeds of oriental beech are a good source of many nutrients essential to human wellbeing.