In this study, fruits, fruit flesh and seeds of damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) and rose hip (Rosa canina L.) were assayed for the composition of fatty acids, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, β-carotene, and mineral elements. The content of linoleic acid in seed oil of Rosa damascena (54.18%) was found to be higher than in that of Rosa canina (48.84%). α-Tocopherol contents were found to be 7.10 μg/g and 34.20 μg/g for Rosa damascena and Rosa canina fruits, respectively. Ascorbic acid content was determined as the highest in the fruit flesh (546 mg/100 g in Rosa damascena and 2200 mg/100 g in Rosa canina), and as the lowest in the seeds of both species. Rosa damascena fruits were found to be richer in minerals such as Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Na, P, and Zn than Rosa canina fruits. The results of the present study showed that Rosa damascena fruits could be used as food and food additive equally as rose hip fruits.

Introduction Oil-bearing rose or Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill. f. trigintipetala Dieck) with about 30 pink petals is one of the most strongly scented rose species with characteristic floral scent molecules such as citronellol, geraniol, nerol, and phenylethyl alcohol. Its main industrial products are rose oil, rose water, rose concrete, and rose absolute oil, which are produced by hydrodistillation and solvent extraction processes. R. damascena Mill. is an allotetraploid species (2n = 4x = 28) as a hybrid of R. gallica L. and R. moschata J.Herm. (for summer Damask roses) or R. gallica L. and R. phoenicia Boiss. (for autumn Damask roses) (Gudin, 2000). It is also thought to be of triparental origin from R.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract