Fatty acid composition of grapevine leaves (Vitis vinifera L.) from ‘Grašac’ and ‘Probus’ cultivars

Abstract

Grapevine leaves represent an abundant but still underutilized source of biomass generated during routine vineyard management. In addition to dietary fibre, proteins, minerals, and phenolic compounds, grapevine leaves contain lipids rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may contribute to their nutritional and functional value (Tomić et al., 2026). However, the fatty acid composition of grapevine leaves can vary depending on cultivar and growing conditions, while information on the fatty acid profiles of ‘Grašac’ and ‘Probus’ leaves remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to characterise and compare the fatty acid composition of of these two autochthonous cultivars from Vojvodina. Lipids were extracted using chloroform–methanol (2:1), converted to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), and analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The analysis revealed a slightly higher fat content in ‘Probus’ leaves compared with ‘Grašac’, while both cultivars showed similar fatty acid profiles, characterized by a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3), followed by palmitic acid (C16:0). Despite differences in total fat content, the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids was comparable between the cultivars, with omega-3 fatty acids representing the major fraction of total fatty acids. The n-3/n-6 ratio was also relatively high in both cultivars, indicating a consistent predominance of omega-3 over omega-6 fatty acids. Overall, the study provides additional phytochemical insight into grapevine leaves, revealing cultivar-related differences in lipid content with a broadly conserved fatty acid pattern, and highlights their potential for valorization as a plant-derived lipid source in food applications