The most abundant acid present in almonds is usually pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5.
Nevertheless, I suspect you may be interested in prussic acid, or hydrogen cyanide. Prussic acid is not directly present in almonds, but rather in the form of amygdalin, a glycoside (a sugar bound to a non-carbohydrate), also known as vitamin B17, whose decomposition generates the deadly compound. By the way, amygadalin is virtually absent in domesticated almonds.
Answers
January 11, 2010
The most abundant acid present in almonds is usually pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5.
Nevertheless, I suspect you may be interested in prussic acid, or hydrogen cyanide. Prussic acid is not directly present in almonds, but rather in the form of amygdalin, a glycoside (a sugar bound to a non-carbohydrate), also known as vitamin B17, whose decomposition generates the deadly compound. By the way, amygadalin is virtually absent in domesticated almonds.