ANALYSIS OF THE LIPID PROFILE OF Crocus sativus L. STAMEN
Abstract
Crocus sativus L., a perennial species of the family Iridaceae, is cultivated for its highly valuable dried stigmas. However, saffron production generates large amounts of by-products, including tepals, stamens, leaves, and corms, which constitute over 90% of the harvested biomass. The valorization of these residues is important for improving the economic and environmental sustainability of saffron cultivation. Although saffron by-products have been recognized as sources of bioactive compounds, the lipid composition of stamens remains poorly investigated. Therefore, this study focuses on the characterization of the lipid composition of C. sativus stamens. Stamens of C. sativus were selected as the study material. Neutral lipids (NL) were isolated with petroleum, whereas polar lipids were using the Folch method. Glycolipid (GL) and phospholipid (PL) fractions were subsequently separated by column chromatography using acetone and methanol as eluents, respectively. The qualitative composition of NL, GL, and PL fractions was analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. Following hydrolysis, fatty acids (FA) were isolated, converted into fatty acid methyl esters, purified by gas chromatographic techniques. The lipid composition of C. sativus stamens was investigated in detail.
Publication Details
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.