FATTY ACIDS CONTENT IN UNGURAHUA OIL (OENOCARPUS BATAUA) FROM ECUADOR. FINDINGS ON ADULTERATION OF UNGURAHUA OIL IN ECUADOR

 Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the fatty acids composition in an ungurahua seeds oil (Oenocarpus bataua) sample cultivated in Ecuador and to determine eventual adulteration in the composition of commercial ungurahua oil.Methods: Oil was obtained from ungurahua seeds using the cold pressing method. Fatty acids analysis was performed using the gas chromatography (GC) method with a mass selective detector and using the database library NIST14.L to identify the compounds.Results: Methyl esters fatty acids were identified from ungurahua (O. bataua) using the GC mass spectrometer analytical method. Ungurahua oil presented a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids with 82.03% of oleic acids. A fraud in the composition of fatty acids present in commercial ungurahua oil was found as fatty acids had a value of only 36.77% of oleic acids. The content of linoleic acid can be used to determine adulteration of this oil.Conclusions: Ungurahua seeds are a good source of monounsaturated and fatty acids. The content of oleic acid is higher than in olive oil. Ungurahua can help reducing cardiovascular diseases risk in Ecuador due to its good composition of monounsaturated fatty acids. Ungurahua oil is a good option to be used in the food industry for different uses.