Fatty and Amino Acids Composition of Melon (Cucumis melo Var. saccharinus) Seeds

Seeds obtained from melon (Cucumis melo var. saccharinus Naud, cv. Daimiel commercially classified as “Pele de Sapo”) were analyzed for their proximate composition. The seeds contained high percentage of lipids (32.3%) and proteins (19.3%). Freshly extracted oil presented acid and peroxide values of 1.76 and 4.02, respectively. The iodine and saponification values were 109.6 and 191.4, respectively. Gas chromatographic analysis of the oil revealed the presence of 23 fatty acids varying from C-6 to C-24 with the exception of C-11, C-19, C-21 and C-23. The concentrations of individual fatty acids varied from trace (less than 0.06%) quantities to about 51%. Linoleic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids were the principal fatty acids contributing to 51, 31, 8.5 and 6.1%, respectively, of the total fatty acids which had a relatively high percentage (82.76%) of unsaturated fatty acids. Seed proteins were deficient in the essential amino acids methionine, lysine, threonine and valine. Methionine and lysine were the first and second limiting amino acids, while arginine, aspartic and glutamic acids (13.4, 8.9 and 19.7 g/100 g of proteins, respectively), were present in good quantities.