Chemical composition of sunflower seed hulls

Abstract

Abstract The major components of the sunflower seed hull, lipids, proteins and carbohydrates were studied Lipids represent 5.17% of the total hull weights, 2.96% of which is wax composed of long chain fatty acids (C14–C28, mainly C20) and fatty alcohols (C12–C30, mainly C22, C24, C26). Hydrocarbon, sterol and triterpene alcohol fractions were also examined. The rest of the lipid fraction is an oil with a composition relatively similar to that of the kernel oil. The protein fraction (4% of the total hull weight) is similar to the protein fraction of the oil cake, although it contains hydroxyproline. The carbohydrate fraction is composed mainly of cellulose, but also of reducing sugars (25.7%), mainly pentoses.