Fatty acid and essential oil compositions of seeds of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) Cultivated in different regions of Ethiopia

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) seeds are used as spices. In this study, fatty acids extracted from the coriander seeds collected from three places (Sululta, Jimma and Wolaita Sodo) in Ethiopia were determined as their methyl ester using GC-MS. The fatty acid components were assessed using linoleic acid ethyl ester as an external standard. Sululta sample showed five fatty acids, while Wolaita Sodo and Jimma three each with highest amount of petroselinic acid: 68.41%, 72.53%, and 64.4%, respectively, of the total fatty acids. Linoleic acid (omega-6) was found in the range of 18.24-22.37%. The polyunsaturated versus saturated (P/S) index values were found to be 1.69-2.39, which indicated that coriander seeds from the three sites have a good capacity to prevent the development of cardiovascular and some chronic diseases. The number of compounds identified in the essential oils of coriander seeds from Jimma, Sululta, and Wolaita Sodo were 7, 9, and 15 with total percent areas of 99.64, 75.14, and 96.68, respectively. The major component in the essential oils was linalool ranging from 36.72-88.50% of the total amount. In general, the chemical constituents of fatty acids and essential oils of coriander seeds indicates its good nutritional quality and usefulness for human health. KEY WORDS: Coriander seeds, Fatty acids, P/S index, Essential oils, Nutritional quality, Spice Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2024, 38(4), 863-876.                                                              DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v38i4.4