Fatty acid content profile and main constituents of Corylus avellana kernel in wild type and cultivars growing in Italy

The kernel composition (moisture, ash, protein, carbohydrate, calories,
fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids) of two hazelnut
(Corylus avellana L.) cultivars (‘Tonda Gentile Trilobata’ and ‘Tonda
Gentile Romana’) and of two wild types growing in different climatic
conditions (north-west and central Italy) was evaluated. The main
kernel component was fatty acid (65.9 ± 1.8%, mean value), and the
most abundant fatty acid in hazelnut was oleic acid (C18:1) (83.5 ± 1.0%,
mean value). The saturated fatty acids are the minor compounds in
kernel hazelnut, resulting in a unsatured fatty acid to saturated (U/S)
fatty acid ratio of 9.0 ± 1.6. Compared to other tree nuts and vegetable
oils, hazelnut oil is among the ones with the highest contents of
monounsaturated and the lowest content of saturated fatty acid. Thus,
hazelnut may be beneficial for the human diet preventing cholesterolbased
atherosclerosis and ischemic cardiovascular diseases.