Fatty acids, phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential of pearl millet oil

Millet is one of the most important cereals in the world regarding its domestic and commercial utilization. In spite of the extensive production of numerous millet species as main staple food grain in many developing countries in Africa and Asia, little information is available on pearl millet oil in terms of its composition of bioactive lipophilic and phenolic compounds. The aim of the present study was to describe the importance of pearl millet seeds by extracting their oil and determining its composition regarding lipids, carotenoids and phenolic compounds, and its antioxidant potential. The content of total lipids in pearl millet seeds was 5.1%, similar to that in maize grain. Several fatty acids were detected; the major fatty acid was linoleic acid (47.5%). The content of total unsaturated fatty acids in pearl millet oil was 77.2%. Pearl millet oil was rich in omega-6 (ω-6) fatty acids and it can be considered a highly unsaturated oil. This oil also has a high total phenolic content (220 mg/100 g) and antioxidant activity (79.2%). Two flavonoids (quercetin: 1.7 μg/g and catechin: 1.2 μg/g) were found in pearl millet, which are commonly recorded in other species such as sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa. The results showed remarkably high levels of carotenoids in pearl millet (10.2 mg/kg) compared to other millet species. Pearl millet seeds may be used in future to create a new source of edible oil due to the presence of several unsaturated and essential fatty acids. Furthermore, foods manufactured from pearl millet flour will have a high content of phenolic compounds and carotenoids as well as antioxidant activity, which support human health.