CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OFHAZELNUT (CORYLUS SPP) CULTIVARS

Based on the results it was established that the fruits of all three tested varieties have less than 5% moisture. The dry matter content is over 95% which is several times higher than other fruit species. The high content of dry matter and low moisture content in the fruits of hazelnut allows much longer storage of the fruits of other species, with no changes and harmful consequences for the quality.Sugar content ranges between 4.91% (‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe`) to 6.73% in (‘Roman hazelnut`). The protein content of examined cultivars is about 16%, and oil content as the majority of the organic matter in the fruits of the hazelnut was over 60%. Vegetable oils are mainly composed of unsaturated acids, oleic over 81% and 6% of linoleic and saturated, about 5% palmitic and stearic over 4%.Based on the above we can conclude that the fruits of hazelnut high-quality and essential in the diet, due to the significant roles they play in the human body. The aim of this study was to analyze the chemical composition of fruits of three major economic and most widespread cultivars of hazelnut in Serbia: 'Istrian long`, ‘Roman hazelnut` and ‘Tonda Gentile Delle Langhe`