Fatty acid profile of olive oil extracted from irradiated and non-irradiated olive fruits

Syrian Kaissy cv olive fruit (SKOF) was irradiated (0, 1, 2, and 3 kGy). Oils were extracted from irradiated and un-irradiated olive fruits. Fatty acid profiles of Syrian Kaissy cv olive oil (SKOO) were measured by gas chromatography immediately after irradiation and after 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of storage. Results of the study showed that composition of fatty acids of SKOO were determined as palmitic (C16:0) (14.69%), palmitoleic acid (C16:1) (1.18%), stearic (C18:0) (2.19), oleic (C18:1) (68.94%), linoleic (C18:2) (12.22%), and linolenic acid (C18:3) (0.79%). The fatty acid composition of SKOO contains a healthy mixture of all the types of saturated mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. The data showed an increase (p < 0.05) in the percentage of the total saturated fatty acids and decrease (p < 0.05) in the percentage of the total unsaturated fatty acids of SKOO during storage. In general, there were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in fatty acids compositions of both oils extracted from irradiated and un-irradiated SKOF.