Effect of germination on canola seed constituents

Content and quality changes of canola seed components throughout 20 days of germination under illuminated and dark conditions were studied. Samples of whole seedlings, seedling tops and bottoms were collected at different time intervals and subjected to lipids, sterols, tocopherols and protein analyses.;The oil and protein reserves were depleted and solubility of protein improved during germination. The content of triacylglycerols was depleted while that of free fatty acids, monoacylglycerols and diacylglycerols was increased. Under illuminated conditions, new tocopherols were synthesized and conversion of gamma-tocopherol to alpha-tocopherol occurred regardless of conditions. Sterols content in seedlings showed negligible changes while a 5- and 4-fold increase in total sterols was evident in oil under illuminated and dark conditions, respectively. Enrichment of free fatty acids, sterols and tocopherols in oil from the germinating seeds as natural means of concentrating nutraceutically important substances can be important to functional food industry.