Abstract: The objective of this investigation was to explore the nutritional quality of Torreya grandis ‘Merrilli’ nuts. Variations in 21 internal and external quality attributes of 12 nut samples from the core growing area of Shaoxing, Zhejiang province were measured and analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation was carried out on the quality of T. grandis ‘Merrilli’ nuts. The results showed that significant differences in both internal and external quality characteristics were observed among 12 samples. The oil and protein contents of T. grandis ‘Merrilli’ nut kernels significantly varied among geographical areas (P < 0.05), with average values of 50.28% and 12.70 g/100 g, respectively. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in the kernel oil was in the range of 60.08%–75.77%, oleic acid and linoleic acid being the predominant ones. Comprehensive evaluation and PCA analysis demonstrated that the comprehensive score of T. grandis ‘Merrilli’ from Shengzhou was the highest, followed by those from Zhuji and Shaoxing’s Jidong. The seed length, total fat content, seed weight, and average protein content, oleic acid and linoleic acid were considered as the most important quality indicators. In summary, PCA and CA could simplify the evaluation of T. grandis ‘Merrilli’ quality.

Key words: Torreya grandis ‘Merrilli’, nut quality, principal component analysis, comprehensive evaluation