A review of biological functions, health benefits, and possible de novo biosynthetic pathway of palmitoleic acid in macadamia nuts

Abstract Palmitoleic acid is an unusual omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid that occurs naturally in high levels in macadamia plants. Due to its wide public acceptance and being a commonly occurring food, macadamia nuts may serve as an important dietary agent for the delivery of palmitoleic acid to the human body. This review focuses on discussing the biological functions of palmitoleic acid, the association of palmitoleic acid with various diseases, as well as the anticipated biosynthetic pathway of palmitoleic acid in macadamia plants. In addition, given the importance to regulate palmitoleic acid contents in macadamia to achieve improved nutrition and commercial value, this review also proposes GWAS as an effective strategy to identify the candidate genes responsible for the accumulation of palmitoleic acid in macadamia nuts.