Triacylglycerol composition and Thermal Behavior of Mango (Mangifera indica L) Kernel Fat from Various Ivorian Varieties

English. editorial reviewed

English. In the past decade, numerous studies on Mango (Mangifera indica L.) seeds have been conducted and the kernels have been revealed to be a source of interesting lipids and high-quality micronutrients. However, the fat content and quality seem to depend on the varieties cultivated in different countries. Mango is the most popular fruits in Ivory Coast and its cultivation has developed considerably in recent years. After consumption or industrial processing of the pulp, high amounts of seeds are generated and unexploited. Considering that, Ivorian mango kernels might be an interesting source of edible fat. Therefore, this work examines the triacylglycerol (TAG) composition, the crystallization and melting behavior of 7 Ivorian mango kernel fats (MKF) using pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (p-NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques; the microstructure was observed by polarized light microscopy (PLM). The aim of this study was to improve knowledge on physicochemical and thermal characteristics displayed by Ivorian MKF and to evaluate their potentiality. The main TAGs found in the 7 varieties were SOS (23.9-45.8%) and SOO (15.5-25.8%). The crystallization onset temperature ranged from 15-20 °C while the complete melting was detected around 35°C for all fat samples except one (~37°C). X-ray diffraction data showed that β-polymorph is the most prevailing and stable form for the 7 samples. Finally, the microstructure from all varieties consisted of disk-shaped and spherulites. The analysis of the results allowed to differentiate the samples in four sub-groups based on the TAG composition and the thermal behavior: (1) Hard-SOS rich fat (DN), (2) Half hard-SOS rich fat (DI, BR,), (3) Soft-SOS rich fat (KT, PR, KI) and (4) Very Soft-SOS rich fat (AM). In addition, the evaluation of the studied parameters allowed to establish relationships between the TAG composition and the thermal behavior, and to differentiate the samples in terms of technological and industrial potential

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