Characterisation of flaxseed cultivars based on NIR diffusion reflectance spectra of whole seeds and derived samples.

Discrimination of yellow and brown flaxseed cultivars was made based on diffusion reflectance FT-NIR spectra of whole seeds. The spectra of flaxseed kernels, hulls, defatted flours, and oils were also measured for comparison. Hierarchy cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used for the discrimination. Multivariate analyses of FT-NIR spectra led to satisfactory discrimination of all flaxseed cultivars of this study mainly according to the nutritionally important fatty acid composition that was confirmed by comparison with the corresponding spectra of flaxseed kernel and oil. By contrast, spectral features of proteins, polysaccharides, and tannins predominated in the FT-NIR spectra of flaxseed hulls and defatted flours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]