Influence of Environmental Factors on Content of Saturated Fatty Acids at the sn-2 Position in Iranian Extra Virgin Olive Oils

In this research the composition of fatty acids and saturated fatty acids at the sn-2 position [SFA (sn-2)] of triacylglycerols was determined in 9 samples of extra virgin olive oil from different regions of Iran, including Gilan, Golestan, Zanjan, and Qazvin in the north, Kermanshah in the west and Fars in the south of Iran. The analysis was performed using gas chromatography according to the standard methods of the International olive council (IOC). The relationship between SFA (sn-2) contents and some environmental factors such as temperature, annual rainfall and altitude was also investigated. 95% of confidence level and student test were used to analyze the data. Based on our findings, the main fatty acids in the samples were C18:1 (63.87%) and C16:0 as a saturated fatty acid (16.33%). The average amount of SFA (sn- 2) was 1.26% in extra virgin olive oils, which shows good agreement with Codex Alimentarius and IOC regulations. These results indicate that there is no relationship between the percentage of SFA (sn-2) and temperature or annual rainfall, but there is a direct relationship between the altitude of sampling region and SFA (sn-2) contents.