Chemical components of cold pressed kernel oils from different Torreya grandis cultivars

• Chemical component of T. grandis kernels vary to different extent with cultivars.
• T. grandis oil is rich in UFA including linoleic, oleic and eicosatrienoic acid.
• T. grandis oil contains abundant β-, γ-tocopherols, β-sitosterol and polyphenols.
• T. grandis oil is a potential source of edible oil or functional ingredient.

The chemical compositions of cold pressed kernel oils of seven Torreya grandis cultivars from China were analyzed in this study. The contents of the chemical components of T. grandis kernels and kernel oils varied to different extents with the cultivar. The T. grandis kernels contained relatively high oil and protein content (45.80–53.16% and 10.34–14.29%, respectively). The kernel oils were rich in unsaturated fatty acids including linoleic (39.39–47.77%), oleic (30.47–37.54%) and eicosatrienoic acid (6.78–8.37%). The kernel oils contained some abundant bioactive substances such as tocopherols (0.64–1.77 mg/g) consisting of α-, β-, γ- and δ-isomers; sterols including β-sitosterol (0.90–1.29 mg/g), campesterol (0.06–0.32 mg/g) and stigmasterol (0.04–0.18 mg/g) in addition to polyphenols (9.22–22.16 μg GAE/g). The results revealed that the T. grandis kernel oils possessed the potentially important nutrition and health benefits and could be used as oils in the human diet or functional ingredients in the food industry.