IDENTIFICATION OF THE FATTY ACID COMPONENTS OF THE HEART OF PALM TREE FROM BAM AREA

Abstract

Phoenix dactylifera L. is a well-known tree belonging to the palm family (palmaceae) [1]. Geographical distribution of the plant in Iran is mainly in Khozestan, Bushehr, south of Fars, Kerman, Hormozgan, Sistan and Baluchestan and Isfahan. The heart of palm is a white, edible and sweet material located in the crown of tree. It mainly constituted of the stem cells of the trunk and leaves of the plant before changing into wood [2]. In summer 2014, it was collected from Bam palm gardens and its total extract was obtained in methanol. After removal of the solvent, an-hexane fraction of the extract was prepared and injected into a GC/Mass system. Twenty-six compounds were identified in n-hexane extract and the main compounds were recorded as follow: 5-nonadecene (5.01%), nonadecane (23.71%), hexadecanoic acid (14.11%), heneicosane (12.66%) and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (26.56%). These compounds are all from long chain fatty acid family.