ArticleThe aim of this study was to identify all forms of vitamin E in different kinds of
dry
shell fruits
(generally called
‘
nuts
’
)
obtained from different sources and
to perform
their mutual
comparison
.
All tocols were determined by reversed phase HPLC using is
ocratic elution with
fluorescence detection.
Almonds were
evaluated
as
the most important source of
α
-
tocopherol
(average value 1
,
132
mg
kg
-
1
),
β
-
tocopherol was present in all samples as a minor component, its
maximum content was found in hazelnuts (9.6
mg
kg
-
1
).
γ
-
T
ocopherol was found in all kinds of
nuts and the highest content was found in pistachios (584
mg
kg
-
1
), very high amount
of
δ
-
tocopherol
was
contained in Brazil nuts (2
,
29
8
mg
kg
-
1
). Tocotrienols were found in a smaller
number of nut kinds than
tocopherols.
α
-
Tocotrienol was found only in three kinds of
nuts
-
Brazil
nuts, which contained the highest amount (399
mg
kg
-
1
), pine nuts and hazelnuts grown in the
Czech Republic, which
were
analyzed soon after harvest.
Similarly,
γ
-
tocotrienol w
as
det
ermined
only in four kinds of nuts (pistachios, macadamias, cashew
and walnuts grown in the Czech
Republic
)
, which were analyzed soon after harvest
; t
he most significant amount was found in
pistachios (34.8
mg
kg
-
1
)
,
β
-
and
γ
-
tocotrienols were below the
detection limit
. In the Czech
Republic, walnuts and hazelnuts are the most widely cultivated and consumed nuts. While in
walnuts the most important form is
γ
-
tocopherol (459
±
40
mg
kg
-
1
), in hazelnuts it is
α
-
tocopherol (
863
±
10
mg
kg
-
1
)
