Nutrient composition of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) varieties cultivated in Turkey

In this study, chemical composition of the 17 different hazelnut varieties grown in the Black Sea Region of Turkey was investigated. The main fatty acids in hazelnut varieties were oleic (79.4%), linoleic (13.0%) and palmitic acid (5.4%). The ratios of polyunsaturated/saturated and unsaturated/saturated fatty acids of hazelnuts varieties were found to be between 1.23 and 2.87, and 11.1 and 16.4, respectively. The average niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, ascorbic acid, folic acid, retinol and total tocopherol contents of hazelnut kernels were 1.45 mg/100 g, 0.28 mg/100 g, 0.05 mg/100 g, 0.5 mg/100 g, 2.45 mg/100 g, 0.043 mg/100 g, 3.25 mg/100 g and 26.9 mg/100 g, respectively. The amount of the essential amino acids, mostly as arginine (2003 mg/100 g) and leucine (1150 mg/100 g), and the non-essential amino acids, mostly as glutamic acid (2714 mg/100 g) and aspartic acid (1493 mg/100 g) were also determined in the hazelnut varieties. Mineral compositions of the hazelnut varieties, e.g., K, Mn, Mg, Ca, Fe, Zn, Na and Cu were (averagely) measured as 863 mg/100 g, 186 mg/100 g, 173 mg/100 g, 5.6 mg/100 g, 4.2 mg/100 g, 2.9 mg/100 g, 2.6 mg/100 g and 2.3 mg/100 g, respectively.