Fatty acids in wheat varieties consumed in Bangladesh

Content of ether extractable fat in 6 wheat varieties, consumed in Bangladesh, ranged between 0.9 and 1.9 % of the dry weights. Three saturated and 5 unsaturated fatty acids were detected in these fat extracts by g.l.c. Linoleic acid was major in the fat from Indus‐66, Nortino‐67 and IP‐32, and minor for the other 3 varieties. Stearic acid was major for the fat from Dirk, Mangla‐68 and Sonora‐64, and minor for the rest. In the former three, the major acids in descending order of abundance were linoleic (41 to 60 %), palmitic (21 to 30 %) and oleic (16 to 26 %). In the later three, this order was oleic (29 to 53 %), palmitic (27 to 41 %) and stearic (13 to 23 %). The unsaturated by saturated fatty acid ratios were above 2 in former group, and below 2 in the later. Palmitic by oleic acid ratios were less than 1 in the former group and about 1 or 2 in the later.