New Contribution to the Chemometric Characterization of Almond Cultivars on the Basis of Their Fatty Acid Profiles

Eight minor fatty acids (C10:0, C12:0, C14:0, C15:0, C17:0, C17:1, C18:3, and C20:0) have been determined in the kernel of 19 almond cultivars grown in the same field and year, using gas chromatography. Submission of minor fatty acids along with the major ones (C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, and C18:2) to multivariate techniques (principal component analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis) contributes to characterizing this set. In comparison to previous studies, the minor fatty acids enable further subdivision within the group of the Mediterranean almonds. The American cultivar Titan, though classified near the cultivars Wavona, Genco and Tuono, presents the fatty acid profile most similar to the Spanish cultivars. The Spanish cultivar Marcona, which is classified with the Spanish Ramillete, Cebas, Desmayo Largueta, and Del Cid and the American Non Pareil, shows some particular features. Discriminant analysis was applied to the four groups previously established by cluster analysis.