Characterisation of 19 almond cultivars on the basis of their free amino acids composition

Several multivariate techniques (ANOVA, principal components analysis, cluster, linear discriminant function) were applied to the chromatographic data on free amino acids for a set of 19 almond cultivars. It is concluded that the cultivars studied have significantly different free amino acid patterns. The information provided by multivariate techniques using amino acids is complementary to that obtained from fatty acid composition. Spanish cultivars can be successfully classified as a single class different from the rest. Cultivars Texas, Genco and Wawona have such peculiar patterns that each of them can be considered as a consistent class. Cultivars Titan and Non Pareil associate either with the Spanish cultivars or with the American in function of amino acids processed.