Abstract

The oil and fatty acid profile of flax (Linum usitatissimum) sprouts and seed were compared to determine nutrition potential of sprouts. Equal quantities of seed from three flax cultivars (Rahab-94, Pembina and Linott) were sprouted twice in three replications and were analysed for oil and fatty acid contents during summer 2011. Three flax cultivars were observed with high oil content on dry weight basis in sprouts (15.9%) and seeds (33.99%). Significant variations (P<0.0001) between seed and sprout values for contents of unsaturated, polyunsaturated (UFA, PUFA) and saturated (SFA) fatty acids (P=0.0002) and non-significant (P>0.05) variation among three cultivars was observed. The percentage of PUFAs in cultivars Pembina and Linott was 68.7 and in Rahab-94 was 67.7. The percentage of linoleic acid (C18:2) was significantly high in sprouts (19.51%) compared to seed (17.7%). The percentage of linolenic acid (18:3) was high in seed (52.8%) compared to sprouts (48.8%). The ratio of PUFA/SFA in sprouts was high in Pembina (6.97%) and Linott (6.82%) compared to Rahab-94 (6.38%). The fatty acid profile was similar in all the three cultivars with significant (P<0.0001) reduction (<1%) in PUFA/SFA ratio of sprouts compared to seed (7.4%). Flax sprouts are equally potential to seed for viable natural resources of essential fatty acids (18:2 and 18:3).

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