Crude Fat Content and Fatty Acid Profile and Their Correlations in Foxtail Millet

Crude fat and fatty acid profile of 35 foxtail millets including seven varieties planted in five different regions of China were studied. The fat content ranged from 3.38 to 6.49% (averaging 4.51%). The major fatty acid in foxtail millets was linoleic acid (averaging 66.68%), followed by oleic acid (averaging 16.11%), palmitic acid (averaging 7.42%), stearic acid (averaging 6.84%), and linolenic acid (averaging 2.48%). Two-way ANOVA showed that fat content was significantly affected by millet variety and cultivation area (P < 0.05). Fatty acids including linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linolenic acid varied significantly in different foxtail millet varieties (P < 0.05), except oleic acid (P > 0.05). Fatty acids including linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid did not change significantly in foxtail millets from different regions (P > 0.05), except linolenic acid (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that oleic acid was negatively correlated with palmitic acid and linoleic acid (P < 0.05), and linolenic acid was positively correlated with palmitic acid and linoleic acid but negatively correlated with stearic acid (P < 0.05). The research showed that millets with good fat composition can be obtained through breeding techniques or cultivation management.