Tocopherols and Tocotrienols in Barley Oil Prepared from Germ and Other Fractions from Scarification and Sieving of Hulless Barley

Two cultivars of hulless barley (Doyce and Merlin) were scarified to abrade the outer layers of the kernels (germ, pericarp, and aleurone). The resulting scarification fines fractions were then separated into four particle-size subfractions using sieves. Each of the size subfractions was then extracted with hexane to produce a barley oil, and the levels of free phytosterols, tocopherols, and tocotrienols in the various barley oils were compared. For both cultivars, the fraction with the largest particle size (0.717–1.410 mm) had the highest oil yields (11–12%). Visual examination of this fraction indicated that it consisted almost entirely of small fragments (≈1 mm) of the germ portion of the kernel. The levels of tocopherols were highest in the largest particle-size fraction and their proportion decreased in the fractions with decreasing particle size. In contrast, the levels of tocotrienols were very low in the largest particle-size fraction and increased in the fractions with decreasing particle sizes. Intact germ was also prepared by hand-dissection, extracted, and analyzed. The results indicate that the ≈1 mm germ fragments obtained by scarification-sieving consisted almost entirely of germ fragments, but these fragments represented only 17.5 and 23.7% of the total mass of the germ, from Merlin and Doyce, respectively. These results also suggest that it may be possible to control the concentrations of tocopherols and tocotrienols in barley oil by controlling the particle size of the feedstock used to extract the oil. Germ fragments isolated by such processes could potentially be used as functional food ingredients or extracted to yield oils enriched in health-promoting phytosterols, tocopherols, or tocotrienols.     

Surface Abrasion of Hulled and Hulless Barley: Physical Characterization of the Milled Fractions

Abrasion techniques were used to remove the hull and pericarp layers of barley kernels to obtain a smaller kernel enriched in endosperm. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fractions produced by two alternative abrading systems on four barley cultivars for potential use in fuel ethanol processes that feature an upstream (of the fermentation) dry fractionation system. Four barley cultivars, two hulled (Thoroughbred and Nomini) and two hulless (Doyce and Merlin), were scarified and whitened at 22 scarification times and three milling degrees (settings 2, 4, and 6), respectively. Three different abrasive surfaces (36, 40, and 50 grit) were used in the scarifier to determine the material removal ratio for each barley cultivar. Material balances and color analyses were conducted for all of the fractions produced. Three fractions were produced with the whitener at each milling degree: broken kernels, fine fractions >323 μm, and fine fractions <323 μm. Setting #2 seems to be the milling level that releases most of the hull in the hulled barley with the whitener. After 50 sec of scarification, rougher surfaces produced more fine material (<1,410 μm diameter) and consequently less coarse material (>1,410 μm diameter). A lower grit (36 grit) abrasive surface induced faster hull removal in hulled barley. Color parameters L* and b* were good indicators of the fine and coarse fractions produced by abrasive methods because they indicate the kernel layer removed and were modeled as a function of the fraction of the material produced. The information obtained in this study has application in designing processes capable of removing and recovering hull and pericarp layers of barley kernels and thereby producing smaller kernels or kernel pieces containing mainly endosperm tissue.     

Removal and Isolation of Germ‐Rich Fractions from Hull‐less Barley Using a Fitzpatrick Comminuting Mill and Sieves

A process was developed to produce a germ‐enriched fraction from hull‐less barley using a Fitzpatrick comminuting mill (FitzMilling) followed by sieving. Hulled and hull‐less barleys contain 1.5–2.5% oil and, like wheat kernels, which contain wheat germ oil, much of the oil in barley kernels is in the germ fraction. A process that combined FitzMilling and sieving produced a germ‐enriched fraction with an oil content of ≈15% and a yield of ≈1.1%. For comparison, this is higher than the levels of oil in most samples of commercial wheat germ. Experimental conditions were also described to produce a germ‐enriched fraction with a higher yield (2.16%), but it would have lower oil content (10.24%). Germination and compositional analysis studies suggested that FitzMilling hull‐less barley for 2 min or longer reduced germination rates to 1% or less, which was interpreted to mean that almost the entire viable germ was removed. In contrast, FitzMilling conventional hulled barley for 4 min had no effect on germination, and milling for 6 and 8 min resulted in germination rates of 36 and 12%, respectively. The oil extracted from germ‐enriched fractions was rich in free phytosterols (≈1%), phytosterol esters (3–7%), and free fatty acids (2–10%). These germ‐enriched fractions and the extracted oil they contain may have value as nutraceuticals or premium edible oils.     

Genotype and Environment Effects on Tocopherol,Tocotrienol, and γ‐Oryzanol Contents of Southern U.S. Rice

Rice bran contains phytochemicals such as E vitamers (i.e., tocopherols and tocotrienols) and the γoryzanol fraction that reportedly may have positive effects on human health. Brown rice, rice bran, and rice bran extracts are therefore attractive candidates for use in the development of functional foods. The objectives of this project were to quantify the effects of genetics versus environment on the tocopherol, tocotrienol, and γ‐oryzanol contents of Southern U.S. rice and to determine associations between the levels of these phytochemicals. Seven rice cultivars grown in four states during two years were studied. Averaged across all samples, the content of α‐tocotrienol > γ‐tocotrienol > α‐tocopherol > gamma;‐tocopherol, and the tocopherols and tocotrienols were 27.5 and 72.5% of the total E vitamer content, respectively. Total E vitamer content ranged from 179 to 389 mg/kg and γ‐oryzanol from 2,510 to 6,864 mg/kg. A low correlation between total E vitamer and γ‐oryzanol contents suggests that to obtain rice bran with high levels of both of these fractions, new cultivars would need to be produced using hybridization and selection. In general, growing environment had a greater effect on E vitamer and γ‐oryzanol levels than did genotype. Therefore, rice breeders selecting genotypes with optimized levels of E vitamers and γ‐oryzanol will need to grow their breeding material in multiple years and locations.     

Quantitation of fatty acids, sterols, and tocopherols in turpentine (Pistacia terebinthus Chia) growing wild in Turkey

The chemical composition (fatty acids, tocopherols, and sterols) of the oil from 14 samples of turpentine (Pistacia terebinthus L.) fruits is presented in this study. The oil content of the samples varied in a relatively small range between 38.4 g/100 g and 45.1 g/100 g. The dominating fatty acid of the oil is oleic acid, which accounted for 43.0 to 51.3% of the total fatty acids. The total content of vitamin E active compounds in the oils ranged between 396.8 and 517.7 mg/kg. The predominant isomers were alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, with approximate equal amounts between about 110 and 150 mg/kg. The seed oil of P. terebinthus also contained different tocotrienols, with gamma-tocotrienol as the dominate compound of this group, which amounted to between 79 and 114 mg/kg. The total content of sterols of the oils was determined to be between 1341.3 and 1802.5 mg/kg, with beta-sitosterol as the predominent sterol that accounted for more than 80% of the total amount of sterols. Other sterols in noteworthy amounts were campesterol, Delta5-avenasterol, and stigmasterol, which came to about 3-5% of the total sterols.     

Changes in the Functional Components of Barley Produced from Different Cultivars and Germination Periods

This study investigated the changes in the functional components of three cultivars (Kunalbori, Dahan, and Hinchalssalbori) over a 6 day germination period; these cultivars were selected because of their varied characteristics and applications. Barley produced from the cultivars was subjected to 6 days of germination. Germinated barley was analyzed for total polyphenol, total flavonoid, hordenine, total arabinoxylan, soluble arabinoxylan, γ‐aminobutyric acid, and γ‐oryzanol contents. The total polyphenol content increased with germination period, corresponding to 1.47–3.83, 1.41–3.42, and 1.59–2.82 mg/g in barley produced from the three cultivars, respectively. The corresponding total flavonoid contents were 0.35–0.44, 0.31–0.48, and 0.22–0.37 mg/g. The hordenine contents in the barley produced from the three cultivars increased from not detected for nongerminated barley to 1.52, 1.09, and 1.34 mg/100 g, respectively, at germination day 6. The γ‐aminobutyric acid content significantly increased until germination day 4, followed by a decrease, and the highest content was observed for barley produced from the Kunalbori cultivar at germination day 4. The total arabinoxylan and soluble arabinoxylan contents increased with germination period. Results indicated that the germination period is crucial for increasing the functional components. These results are expected to be beneficial during food product manufacturing.     

Quantification of tocopherols and tocotrienols in portuguese olive oils using HPLC with three different detection systems

Three different HPLC detection systems were compared for the determination of tocopherols and tocotrienols in olive oil: fluorescence and diode array connected in series, ultraviolet, and evaporative light scattering. The best results were obtained with the fluorescence detector, which was successfully applied in the quantification of tocopherols and tocotrienols in 18 samples of Portuguese olive oils. To support the validity of the method, the parameters evaluated were linearity, detection limits, repeatability, and recovery. All of the studied samples showed similar qualitative profiles with six identified compounds: alpha-T, beta-T, gamma-T, delta-T, alpha-T3, and gamma-T3. Alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T) was the main vitamin E isomer in all samples ranging from 93 to 260 mg/kg. The total tocopherols and tocotrienols ranged from 100 to 270 mg/kg. Geographic origin did not seem to influence the tocopherol and tocotrienol composition of the olive oils under evaluation.     

Phytosterol and tocopherol components in extracts of corn distiller's dried grain

As the ethanol industry continues to grow, it will become very important to develop value-added markets for its coproducts in order for the industry to remain profitable. Corn distiller's dried grain (DDG) is a major coproduct of ethanol fermentation from corn processed by dry-milling and is primarily sold as livestock feed. The objective of this research was to determine if valuable phytochemicals found in corn oil and corn fiber oil, such as phytosterols and their saturated equivalents, phytostanols, ferulate phytosterol esters (FPE), tocopherols, and tocotrienols, are retained in DDG. Hexane and supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extracts of DDG were similar in their concentrations of total phytosterols (15.8-17.3 mg/g of extract), FPE (3.75-3.99 mg/g of extract), and tocols (1.7-1.8 mg/g of extract). Ethanol extracts were slightly lower in concentration of phytosterols (8.9-11.4 mg/g of extract), FPE (1.62-1.98 mg/g of extract), and tocols (0.73-0.76 mg/g of extract).     

Normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of tocopherols and tocotrienols in cereals

The eight vitamers of vitamin E (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherols and -tocotrienols) have different antioxidant and biological activities and have different distributions in foods. Some cereals, especially oat, rye, and barley, are good sources of tocotrienols. A fast procedure for the determination of tocopherols and tocotrienols (tocols) in cereal foods was developed. It involves sample saponification and extraction followed by normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results have been compared with those found by direct extraction without saponification. The method is sensitive and selective enough to be tested on a wide variety of cereal samples. The highest tocol levels were found in soft wheat and barley ( approximately 75 mg/kg of dry weight). beta-Tocotrienol is the main vitamer found in hulled and dehulled wheats (from 33 to 43 mg/kg of dry weight), gamma-tocopherol predominates in maize (45 mg/kg of dry weight) ), and alpha-tocotrienol predominates in oat and barley (56 and 40 mg/kg of dry weight, respectively).     

Compositional equivalence of barleys differing only in low- and normal-phytate levels

Recent breeding advances have led to the development of several barley lines and cultivars with significant reductions (50% or greater) in phytate levels. Low-phytate (LP) grain is distinguished by containing not only a reduced level of phytate P but also an increased level of inorganic P, resulting in greater bioavailability of P and mineral cations in animal diets. It is important to determine whether other nutritional characteristics are altered by breeding for the low-phytate trait. This study was designed to investigate if breeding for reduced phytate content in barleys had any effect on the contents of other attributes measured by comparing mean and range values of the levels of protein, oil, ash, total carbohydrate, starch, and β-glucan, fatty acid composition, and levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols between five LP and five normal-phytate barleys grown in three Idaho locations. Results show that only the phytate level in the LP group was substantially lower than that of the normal-phytate group and that all other attributes measured or calculated were substantially equivalent between the two groups of barleys. Therefore, the phytate level had little effect on the levels of protein, oil, ash, total carbohydrate, starch, and β-glucan, fatty acid composition, and levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols in barley seeds.     

Turkish Tombul hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). 2. Lipid characteristics and oxidative stability

The quality of crude hazelnut oil extracted from Tombul (Round) hazelnut, grown in the Giresun province of Turkey, was determined by measuring lipid classes, fatty acids, and fat soluble bioactives (tocopherols and phytosterols). Oxygen uptake, peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and alpha-tocopherol levels of stripped and crude hazelnut oils in bulk and oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion systems were also evaluated as indices of lipid oxidation over a 21 day storage period at 60 degrees C in the dark. The total lipid content of Tombul hazelnut was 61.2%, of which 98.8% were nonpolar and 1.2% polar constituents. Triacylglycerols were the major nonpolar lipid class and contributed nearly 100% to the total amount. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol were the most abundant polar lipids, respectively. Sixteen fatty acids were identified, among which oleic acid contributed 82.7% to the total, followed by linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Unsaturated fatty acids accounted for 92.2% of the total fatty acids present. Among oil soluble bioactives, alpha-tocopherol (38.2 mg/100 g) and beta-sitosterol (105.5 mg/100 g) were predominant in hazelnut oil and comprised 88 and 93% of the total tocopherols and phytosterols present, respectively. The results also showed that both stripped and crude hazelnut oils were more stable in terms of lipid oxidation in the bulk oil as compared to those in an o/w emulsion.     

Functional lipid characteristics of Turkish Tombul hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.)

The quality of crude oil extracted from Tombul (Round) hazelnut, grown in the Giresun province of Turkey, was evaluated for its fatty acid, triacylglycerol (TAG), tocol, and phytosterol compositions. Oleic acid contributed 82.78% to the total fatty acids, followed by linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Among 12 TAGs separated, 11 were identified (including one unknown): LLL, OLL, PLL, OOL, POL, PPL, OOO, POO, PPO, SOO, and PSO (where P, palmitoyl; S, stearoyl; O, oleoyl; and L, linoleoyl). The main components were OOO (71.31%), OOL (12.26%), and POO (9.45%), reflecting the high content of oleic acid present in hazelnut oil. Seven tocol isoforms (four tocopherols and three tocotrienols) and eight phytosterols as well as cholesterol were positively identified and quantified; among these, alpha-tocopherol (40.40 mg/100 g) and beta-sitosterol (134.05 mg/100 g) were predominant in hazelnut oil and contributed 78.74 and 81.28% to the total tocols and phytosterols present, respectively. Tocotrienols were detected in small amounts (1.02% to the total tocols). The crude hazelnut oil extracted from Turkish Tombul hazelnut, thus, serves as a good source of nutrients, bioactives, and health-promoting components.     

Comparison of oil and phytosterol levels in germplasm accessions of corn, teosinte, and Job's tears

Seeds of 49 accessions of corn (Zea mays ssp. mays), 9 accessions of teosinte (Zea species that are thought to be ancestors and probable progenitors to corn), and 3 accessions of Job's tears (Coix lacryma), obtained from a germplasm repository, were ground and extracted with hexane. Whole kernel oil yields and levels of four phytonutrients (free phytosterols, fatty acyl phytosterol esters, ferulate phytosterol esters, and gamma-tocopherol) in the oils were measured. Among the seeds tested, oil yields ranged from 2.19 to 4.83 wt %, the levels of ferulate phytosterol esters in the oil ranged from 0.047 to 0.839 wt %, the levels of free phytosterols in the oil ranged from 0.54 to 1.28 wt %, the levels of phytosterol fatty acyl esters in the oil ranged from 0.76 to 3.09 wt %, the levels of total phytosterols in the oil ranged from 1.40 to 4.38 wt %, and the levels of gamma-tocopherol in the oil ranged from 0.023 to 0.127 wt %. In general, higher levels of all three phytosterol classes were observed in seed oils from accessions of Zea mays ssp. mays than in seed oils from accessions of the other taxonomic groups. The highest levels of gamma-tocopherol were observed in teosinte accessions.     

Quantification of sterols and aliphatic alcohols in Mediterranean stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) populations

Individual components of Pinus pinea L. oil unsaponifiable matter isolated from seven Mediterranean populations were identified and quantified. P. pinea oil unsaponifiable matter contained very high levels of phytosterols (>or=4298 mg kg-1 of total extracted lipids), of which beta-sitosterol was the most abundant (74%). Aliphatic alcohol contents were 1365 mg kg-1 of total extracted lipids, of which octacosanol was the most abundant (41%). Two alcohols (hexacosanol and octacosanol), which are usually absent in common vegetable oils, were described for P. pinea oils. There were almost no differences in the total unsaponifiable matter of the seven Mediterranean populations studied. However, sterol and aliphatic alcohol contents showed some variability, with Tunisian and Moroccan populations showing very different and higher contents.     

Differences in Carbohydrate Composition and Digestion In Vitro of Selected Barley Cultivars as Influenced by Pearling and Cooking

Among common cereals, barley is a low glycemic index food. In an attempt to better understand this character, the nutritional properties of glycemic carbohydrates and dietary fiber concentrations of nine cultivars were evaluated. The cultivars were selected based on botanical variations and commercial value to investigate the impact of pearling and cooking on nutritional properties. Each cultivar was pearled into four fractions ranging from hull removal only to hull, bran, germ, and crease removal. The study showed that botanical class and degree of pearling significantly affect the carbohydrate composition and digestion indices of barley. Waxy starch cultivars had less total starch and more rapidly digestible starch (RDS), rapidly available glucose (RAG), and β‐glucan than the other nonwaxy cultivars. Regardless of the barley type, the less pearled kernels had significantly lower total starch and higher total low molecular weight sugars, insoluble, and total fiber. However, β‐glucan content was fairly comparable in the whole grain and pearled fractions. Cooking had a significant effect on nutritional properties of Celebrity and AC Klinck cultivars. The only consistent significant difference between raw and cooked barley was resistant starch (RS), which increased after cooking regardless of cultivar or fraction. The study showed that barley cultivar and carbohydrate composition significantly affected starch digestion with some cultivar fractions holding a promise for the development of low glycemic index foods.     

Oil goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.)

Whole berries, seeds, and pulp/peel of goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.) were compared in terms of fatty acids, lipid classes, triacylglyerols, phytosterols, fat-soluble vitamins, and beta-carotene. The total lipid contents in the whole berries, seeds, and seedless parts were 2.0, 1.8, and 0.2% (on a fresh weight basis), respectively. Linoleic acid was the dominating fatty acid followed by oleic acid as the second major fatty acid. Palmitic and stearic acids were the major saturates. In pulp/peel oil, the fatty acid profile was characterized by higher amounts of saturates, monoenes, and trienes than in whole berry and seed oils. Neutral lipids comprised >95% of total lipids in whole berry oil and seed oil, while neutral lipids separated in lower level in pulp/peel oil. Triacylglycerols were the predominant neutral lipid subclass and constituted ca. 81.6, 86.6, and 65.1% of total neutral lipids in whole berry, seed, and pulp/peel oils, respectively. Nine triacylglycerol molecular species were detected, wherein three species, C54:3, C52:2, and C54:6, were presented to the extent of approximately 91% or above. The highest level of phytosterols was estimated in pulp/peel oil that contained the highest level of unsaponifiables. In both whole berry and seed oils, campesterol and beta-sitosterol were the sterol markers, whereas Delta5-avenasterol and campesterol were the main 4-desmethylsterols in pulp/peel oil. The tocopherols level was much higher in pulp/peel oil than in whole berry and seed oils. beta- and gamma-tocopherols were the major components in whole berry and seed oils, whereas gamma- and alpha-tocopherols were the main constituents in pulp/peel oil. beta-Carotene and vitamin K(1) were also measured in markedly high levels in pulp/peel oil followed by whole berry oil and seed oil, respectively. Information provided by the present work is of importance for further chemical investigation of goldenberry oil and industrial utilization of the berries as a raw material of oils and functional foods.     

几个大麦品种(系)的耐盐性评价

以发芽势(率)盐害指数、发芽指数下降率、产量及构成因素等为指数,对苏啤3号、苏啤4号、单二、扬农啤5号、盐99098、盐丰一号、C2118、西引二号等几个大麦品种(系)进行了耐盐性试验研究。试验结果表明:低NaCl胁迫浓度对参试品种(系)的影响不大,高盐胁迫(NaCl浓度大于60mg/ml)导致上述指标明显下降。品种不同对盐分胁迫的反映不同。芽期耐盐性综合评价结果得出参试品种(系)的耐盐顺序依次为C2118=盐丰一号>扬农啤5号>苏啤4号>西引二号>单二>苏啤3号>盐99098;盆栽试验耐盐性顺序依次为C2118>盐丰一号>苏啤4号>扬农啤5号>西引二号>单二>盐99098>苏啤3号。芽期和成熟期均耐盐的大麦品种(系)为C2118、盐丰一号、苏啤4号、扬农啤5号,可作为耐盐品种(系)直接在盐碱土种植或作为耐盐种质资源利用。     

Effects of different origins and harvesting time on vitamin C,tocopherols, and tocotrienols in sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) berries

Vitamin C, tocopherols, and tocotrienols in berries of wild and cultivated sea buckthorn (Hippopha? rhamnoides L.) of different origins and harvesting dates were determined with HPLC. Wild berries of subsp. sinensis, native to China, contained 5-10 times more vitamin C in the juice fraction than the berries of subsp. rhamnoides from Europe and subsp. mongolica from Russia (4-13 vs 0.02-2 g/L juice). Genetic background and berry-harvesting date were two primary factors determining the vitamin C content in the berries. Crossing different subspecies influenced the vitamin C content to some extent. For bushes cultivated in southwest Finland, the best berry-harvesting date for high vitamin C content was the end of August. The seeds of subsp. sinensis contained less tocopherols and tocotrienols (average 130 mg/kg) compared with seeds of subsp. rhamnoides (average 290 mg/kg) and mongolica (average 250 mg/kg). The fruit flesh of sinensis berries had contents of tocopherols and tocotrienols 2-3 times higher than those found in the other two subspecies (120 mg/kg vs 40 mg/kg in rhamnoides and 50 mg/kg in mongolica). The fresh whole berries of subsp. sinensis were clearly the best source of total tocopherols and tocotrienols. The total content of tocopherols and tocotrienols in the soft parts of the berries reached the maximum level around early- to mid-September, whereas the content in seeds continued to increase until the end of November. The excellent combination of the highest content of vitamin C and tocopherols and tocotrienols makes the berries of subsp. sinensis an optimal raw material for nutritional investigation as a candidate for functional foods with special antioxidative properties.     

Functionality of Barley Proteins Extracted and Fractionated by Alkaline and Alcohol Methods

This research optimized the extraction of different protein fractions from barley grains and assessed the physicochemical properties of the fractions obtained. Pearling was first used to remove the grain's outer layers (mainly bran and germ) so that the barley cytoplasmic proteins (albumin and globulin) would be enriched in the pearling flour (PF), while endosperm proteins (hordein and glutelin) would be enriched in the pearled grain flour (PGF). Salt, alcohol, and alkaline solutions were then used to extract different barley protein fractions from PF and PGF. The effects of extraction solvent type, pH, temperature, and extraction time on protein content and extraction efficiency were studied. Aqueous ethanol (55%, v/v) efficiently extracted barley hordein from PGF at 60°C, whereas pH 11.5 alkaline solution was the most efficient for extracting both cytoplasmic and endosperm proteins from barley PF and PGF at 23°C. Subunit molecular weight, amino acid composition, and the functional properties of each isolated barley protein fraction were investigated. Barley glutelin demonstrated superior oil‐binding property and emulsifying stability, whereas barley hordein exhibited good foaming capacity.     

alpha-tocopherol content of Greek virgin olive oils

alpha-Tocopherol, the main tocopherol homologue found in olive oil, was determined using normal phase HPLC. Ninety Greek virgin olive oils, selected according to a designed sampling protocol from different cultivars and regions all over Greece for three successive crop years, were analyzed. For a specific olive cultivar, which is widely used for the production of olive oil in Greece, additional measurements were made to study the effect of milling conditions on alpha-tocopherol concentration. Finally, a significant number of commercial olive oil samples (25) obtained from the retail market were analyzed. High concentrations of alpha-tocopherol were observed in most of the samples selected from various regions. Values ranging between 98 and 370 mg/kg were found (>200 mg/kg in 60% of samples). Extraction conditions were not found to influence alpha-tocopherol level. alpha-Tocopherol content of retail market samples was high, ranging from 120 to 250 mg/kg of oil (>180 mg/kg in 60% of samples). Storage of samples under domestic conditions for two years showed that good handling is quite important for retaining high alpha-tocopherol levels and for increasing, thus, the storage life and nutritional value of this exquisite oil.