The purpose of this study is to establish an extraction and analysis method for α-tocopherol, and to then distinguish among varieties. The α-tocopherol contents of 22 varieties of peanut seeds were analyzed by HPLC. Peanut seeds of cv. Palkwang were processed in two ways, by boiling and roasting. The α-tocopherol contents of the two types of peanuts were compared with fresh seeds without any processing. α-Tocopherol was detected at a retention time of 2.95 minutes. Five standards of α-tocopherol covering a range of 20~100μg/ml were made up in 2% isopropyl alcohol/n-hexane and analyzed in duplicate. The α-tocopherol contents differed according to extraction temperature. The contents were 85μg/g or less at 10℃ and 20℃ and 94μg/g at 30℃, but they were decreased at 40℃ or higher. The α-tocopherol contents in 22 peanut varieties were 61.36~96.80μg/g according to variety. Fresh peanuts contained 106.7μg/g of α-tocopherol, while boiled peanuts contained 108.8μg/g of α-tocopherol, and roasted peanuts contained 109.2μg/g of α-tocopherol.

• Hong-Soo Doo