Variability of degree of high order compositeness in fats from the same biological species: Fats from geographic varieties ofpongamia glabra, Nerium thevetifolium andMoringa pterygosperma

Abstract

Seed fats from four geographic varieties ofP. glabra (Sm 20.2, 27.1, 25.2 and 24.7), three ofN. thevetifolium (Sm 33.5, 36.3 and 33.1) and two ofM. pterygosperma (Sm 23.2 and 20.6) showed high order compositeness (HOC) indices of GS₃nil, GS₂U +5.2, −3.1, +5.2 and +9.0, GS₃nil, GS₂U +0.9, +7.0 and +2.0 and GS₃nil, GS₂U +2.0 and +7.3 respectively. Since geographic varieties are morphologically indistinguishable no fixed relationship can any longer be expected between the proportions of acids and glycerides in different specimens of fat from the same biological variety. Prediction of glyceride structures of different specimens of fat from the same variety can hence be made only to the extent of HOC ranges just as in the case of fats from different varieties or species.

Fats from geographic varieties belonging to different biological species show different kinds of relationships between the component saturated and unsaturated acids. No quantitative or even qualitative correlation exists between the HOC indices and the proportions of saturated acids in fats from geographical varieties belonging to the same biological source.