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The objective was to experimentally determine the quality specification limits for the Cucurbita pepo lipid extract, by using the tabulated K method. Using ten consecutive lots, an analysis was carried out of parameters such as specific weight, refractive indexes, acidity, saponification, peroxide, and fatty acid content (palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic). The distribution of the data was assessed. Then, the quality specification limits were calculated, for a 95% degree of confidence. The values obtained in the assessment of physical and chemical parameters demonstrated the quality of the extract, by adhering to the normal distribution of data, with probability values above 0.05. Using the tabulated K method were established unilateral quality specification limits to index of acidity and peroxide, fatty acid content, while to specific weight, refractive and saponification indexes were bilateral. The assessed lots of Cucurbita pepo lipid extract have adequate quality, considering the results of the evaluated parameters. The properties of the assessed lots showed a high degree of compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unsaturated fatty acids (FA) are degraded generating a high number of compounds, hence the study of this phenomenon resulting from high complexity. From the Cuban royal palm fruits, a lipid extract mainly compound by a mixture of free FA between 8 and 18 carbon atoms, with possible applications as nutraceutic and/or medicine is obtained. In this mixture, the presence of unsaturated FA like oleic and linoleic, could provoke autoxidation processes that affect their efficacy and safety. Taking to account that autoxidation products from R. regia lipid extract are unknown until now, in this paper its degradation products formed by oxidation, photolysis and thermolysis were determined. The organoleptic characteristics, peroxide (PV) and tiobarbituric acid values (TBAV), and contents of conjugated dienes (CD) and FA contents were determined in samples of the extract subjected to oxidation (hydrogen peroxide), photolysis (UV light) and thermolysis (80 °C and 185 °C), and their results were compared with those of a sample without degradation. It was determined that the oxidation was the one that caused the biggest degradation in the unsaturated FA, as well as the biggest PV, while the thermolysis went the one that bore to bigger contents of TBAV and CD. The above-mentioned evidences that the imposed stress conditions achieved the degradation of the extract, in a similar way that its happens in the vegetable oils with low contents of polyunsaturated FA, achieving preliminarily determine, so the main groups of compounds generated from the forced degradation of Roystonea regia lipid extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) and shows antiinflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects, which are partly attributed to its lipid composition. Although this plant is quite abundant in Cuba, it is not usually consumed and It is any chemical study has not been informed yet. Taking into account these facts, the aim of this work was to study the FAs content of the aerial parts of purslane growing in our country. Aerial parts (leaves and stems) were collected, dried, milled in a mortar and extracted with hexane in an ultrasonic bath during 1 h. The extract was filtered and the solvent evaporated under reduced pressure in a rotary evaporator at 60 °C. A dark greenish brown liquid of oily appearance and characteristic odor was obtained with 1.7 % of yield. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography and the FAs (1.32 % of fresh aerial parts) were determined as methyl ester derivatives. Majorities FAs were linolenic (37.83 %), palmitic (23.11 %), linoleic (14.42 %) and oleic (6.72 %), while other acids were detected in minor proportions; some of them (caprilic, capric, lauric, pentadecanoic, heptacosanoic, octacosanoic, octadecatetraenoic, gondoic and eicosatetraenoic acids) not previously detected in this species. The present study contributes to the of knowledge chemical composition of aerial parts of Portulaca oleracea L. growing in Cuba, informing the FAs content of its lipid extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palms (Arecaceae family), broadly spread in tropical and subtropical regions, have different uses. Although native or cultivated Arecaceae that grow in Cuba have been widely used as ornamental plants, they have been relatively poor studied. In light of these facts, the authors studied extraction yield, organoleptic characteristics and fatty acid composition of lipid fractions, extracted with hexane from dried and milled ripe fruits of three Arecaceae species cultivated in Cuba: Veitchia merrillii, Caryota urens and Wodyetia bifurcata. The three fractions were brown greenish (V. merrillii), brown reddish (C. urens) and yellow orange (W. bifurcata) semisolids with characteristic odor. Extraction yields of 3,8; 1,0 and 0,6 %; total fatty acids contents of 68,2; 58,4 and 59,1 %; and free fatty acids contents of 25,6; 5,5 and 11,3 % were found for V. merrillii, C. urens and W. bifurcata, respectively. The fatty acid composition, determined by gas chromatography, rendered that palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids were the major compounds in extracts from the three species; while lauric and myristic acids were also major components in the fraction extracted from C. Urens. This study shows, for the first time, the extraction yield, organoleptic characteristics and fatty acid composition of lipid fractions, extracted from whole fruits of Veitchia merrillii, Caryota urens and Wodyetia bifurcate, harvested in Cuba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) are the principal component of lipids where they exist. Their diversity in terms of chain length, the degree of unsaturation, geometry, and position of double bonds, as well as the presence of other functionalities, define their characteristics and possible applications. An overview and some important considerations about classic and modern methods of extraction and purification of VLCFA for both, the analytic and the industrial scale such as: solvent, soxhlet, batch, ultrasonic, microwave and supercritical fluid extractions was presented. The employment of natural waxes, mainly the vegetables, as a source for obtaining those acids was reported. In that sense, the isolation of a reproducible batch to batch mixture of VLCFA (C24:0 to C36:0) from sugar cane wax, called D003, for the first time used as a potential drug for managing atherotrombothic diseases was exemplified. This review also summarizes the chromatographic methods that are available for obtaining VLCFA profiles and the specific applications that have been reported for them. These substances are currently more frequently determined by capillary gas liquid chromatography (GC) of the methyl esters which are prepared by a variety of methods, including the acid- and base-catalyzed reactions. The more recently development on-column or pyrolytic and other derivatization methods as well as their limitations and advantages were also pointed out. It appears that the majority of these methods function quite well when care is taken to use them properly. The most common weaknesses in GC analysis of these acids were discussed, in the opinion of the author, are: preparation, injection, separation and quantification steps, which must be optimized in order to get precise and exact results. Now a day, the combination of GC with FTIR, NMR ¹H and 13C spectroscopy and mass spectrometry and computer analysis of the resultant data, has become an indispensable tool for the identification of VLCFA. Finally, validation of manufacture process and analytical methodologies must be carried out to guarantee the quality of products that has been obtained from them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]