UDC 537.569/.534.8

Abstract. Content and composition of total and free fatty acids of the air dried leaves of the Serbian selected tobaccos type Prilep, Yaka and Otlja were investigated by GC. In all three tobacco types palmitic acid was the major component: 47.1 % of the total acids and 17.0 % of the free acids for Prilep, 43.9 % of the total acids and 16.0 % of the free acids for Yaka and 34.2 % of the total acids and 5.0 % of the free acids for Otlja tobacco. The U/S values for free and total fatty acids, as well as the content of free fatty acids for the semioriental tobacco Otlja, were almost twice higher than in oriental Yaka and Prilep making them a good marker characteristic distinguishing the two tobacco types. Key words: Nicotiana tabacum, oriental and semioriental tobaccos, fatty acids, G