Fatty acids in different pulses produced and consumed in Bangladesh

Five pulse samples, Musuri (Lens esculenta), Orhor (Cajnus indicus), Motor (Pisum sativum), Kheshari (Lathyrus sativus) and Mash‐kalai (Phaseolus Munqo), produced and consumed in Bangladesh, were extracted with ether (Soxhlet). Total fat, estimated by gravimetry, ranged from 1 to 1.7 % of dry weights. Four saturated and 4 unsaturated fatty acids were detected in all in these fat extracts by g.l.c. The fat from Musuri, Orhor, Motor and Kheshari had 18 to 28 % palmitic acid and 54 to 67 % linoleic acid. Musuri fat also had oleic (17 %) and linolenic (10 %) acids as major components. Fat from Mash‐kalai had an unusual pattern of fatty acids and contained linolenic (70 %) and behenic (10 %) acids as major components. The unsaturated by saturated fatty acid ratios in the fat extracts ranged between 2.3 for Orhor to 4.4 for Musuri.