Abstract: Using gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS), we assessed the constituents and relative quantities of fatty acids in five woody seed oils extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide. Tea and hazelnut seed oils contained a high concentration of oleic acid, linoleic acid was found to be the primary fatty acid in sea buckthorn and yellow horn seed oils while the highest amount of linolenic acid occurred in peony seed oil. Sea buckthorn seed oil was considered a functional edible oil based on its ratios of monounsaturated to saturated fatty acids (1.57:1) and linoleic to linolenic acids (1.56:1). Peony seed oil was an excellent edible oil with high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. Tea and hazelnut seed oils were both suitable for the food industry. Interestingly, yellow horn seed oil exclusively contained three long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids (such as nervonic acid). Our study has important implications for industrial production of bioactive oils and for promoting the health of people consuming them.

Key words: woody crop oil, fatty acid, gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, identification, quantitation