Fruit chemical composition of hazelnut cultivars grown in Portugal

Chemical composition (crude protein, crude fat, starch, neutral detergent bre – NDF and free α-amino acids) of six hazelnut cultivars (Butler, Ennis, Fertile de Coutard, Grossal, Merveille de Bollwiller and Segorbe) was investigated. Genotype signi cantly affected fruit nutritive value. Crude protein ranged from 12-17 g 100 g–1 dry weight (dw) in cultivar Ennis and Merveille de Bollwiller, respectively; crude fat was 50-62 g 100 g–1 dw in cvs. Fertile de Coutard and Butler; starch varied from 1.0 to 2.4 g 100 g–1 dw in cvs. Segorbe and Butler; and NDF was 8-14 g 100 g–1 dw in cvs. Merveille de Bollwiller and Ennis. Total free α-amino acids content ranged from 144 mg 100 g–1 dw (cv. Segorbe) to 413 mg 100 g–1 dw (cv. Butler). The essential amino acids content varied between 23 mg 100 g–1 dw (cv. Butler) to 55 mg 100 g–1 dw (cv. Merveille de Bollwiller). Alanine was the main amino acid found (62 % of total amino acids) and methionine was the lowest (0.3%). Based on the available data on the phytochemical content of hazelnuts, including the data presented in this study, there is a high likelihood that this fruit will provide positive health bene ts. Key words: Crude fat, crude protein, free µ-amino acids, neutral detergent bre, proximate analysis, starch to Alasalvar et al. (2003), the good nutritional value of hazelnut is its amount of bre that has an important protective effect against intestinal disorders, cholesterol and hypertension, among other effects. Gu et al. (2004) showed that hazelnut kernel contai