FATTY ACID PROFILING AND FUNCTIONAL GROUP CHARACTERIZATION OF BARLEY (HORDEUM VULGARE L.) GRAIN OIL USING GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY–MASS SPECTROMETRY AND FT–IR ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study investigates the fatty acid profile and functional group characteristics of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain oil extracted from five varieties collected in Sindh, Pakistan. Oils were extracted via Soxhlet using hexane, converted to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), and analyzed through Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). Major fatty acids identified included hexadecanoic acid (C16:0), octadecanoic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and linolenic acid (C18:3). Total saturated fatty acids (SFA) ranged from 22.0% to 25.1%, while total unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) ranged from 71.9% to 77.9%. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT–IR) confirmed the presence of typical lipid functional groups such as aliphatic C–H, carbonyl C=O, and C–O ester linkages. These results demonstrate that barley grain oil is rich in nutritionally beneficial unsaturated fatty acids, highlighting its potential for use in food, nutraceutical, and industrial applications.