Amino Acid Determination in Kernels of Selected Apricot and Almond Cultivars

Abstract

Apricot fruit are a popular and highly sought-after type of fruit. However, few people are aware that in cultivars with sweet kernels, these kernels are suitable for consumption. Although they are a rich source of nutritionally valuable com pounds, the kernels often remain underutilized during fruit processing. In our study, 15 apricot cultivars of different origins were analyzed. In addition, three almond culti vars were included in the experiment for comparison. Kernel weight and taste were evaluated, and these data are summarized in a quality assessment of the studied apricot kernels. The results show that the total amino acid content in the kernels ranged from 125.70 to 305.32 mg.g-1 dried kernels and was not dependent on kernel origin, weight, or taste. The main amino acids identified in apricot kernels, as well as in almond kernels, with significant content levels were glutamic acid (29.92-74.47 mg.g-1), aspartic acid (13.20-39.29 mg.g-1), arginine (10.17-69.51 mg.g-1), glycine (7.39-16.25 mg.g-1), and alanine (6.46-16.59 mg.g-1). Specifically, the Canadian cultivar Harlayne showed the highest amino acid content; however, due to the sweet-bitter taste of its kernel, it may be more suitable for medicinal use rather than for the direct consumption of kernels.