Abstract
Fatty acid composition of pupae, day 3, of the silkworm, Bombyx mori of Thai polyvoltine strain, Nang-Lai, in males and females, was studied for cosmetics and human food production. In males, the amount of cis-9-Oleic acid was the highest, 4638±0.26 mg/100 g (35.31 % against the total fatty acids in males), then, Palmitic acid, 3825±0.11 mg/100 g (29.12 %), Alpha-Linolenic acid, 2793±0.20 mg/100 g (21.27 %) and Stearic acid, 1028±0.05 mg/100 g (7.83 %). In females, the amount of cis-9-Oleic acid was the highest, 4117±0.02 mg/100 g (37.80 % against the total fatty acids in females), then Palmitic acid, 3655±0.24 mg/100 g (33.56 %), Stearic acid, 1238±0.14 mg/100 g (11.37 %) and Alpha-Linolenic acid, 1237±0.20 mg/100 g (11.36 %). In females, the order of abundance of Stearic acid and Alpha-Linolenic acid and their relative amount were different from those of males. The reason of the difference of Alpha-Linolenic acid between males and females was discussed. The data were compared with those in the silkworm pupae and in Eri silkworm reported so far and the features of the silkworm and of Eri silkworm were discussed from fatty acid composition of pupae.
