AbstractThe aleurone grains of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea) have been fractionated into the globoidal and nongloboidal components by homogenization in 0.5Msucrose solution and differential centrifugation. The major components of the globoids are: protein, 35.1%; magnesium, 2.5%; potassium, 2.0%; myoinositol, 7.0%; total phosphorus, 7.4%; oxalic acid, 3.5%; and moisture, 8.6%. Small amounts of calcium (0.5%) and manganese (0.03%) are also present. Of the total phosphorus about 97% is present as organic phosphorus of which phytic acid (myoinositol hexaphosphoric acid) constitutes the major portion with only 0.1% orthophosphate and traces of lower phosphates of myoinositol. The globoidal fraction accounts for about 50% of the total magnesium, manganese, phytic acid, oxalic acid, and for 13% of the potassium and 80% of the calcium present in the aleurone grains. The remainder of these components are present in the matrix of the aleurone grain. There seems to be a cation deficit in the globoids and a cation excess in the aleurone grains and soluble fraction. The nature of the missing cation in the globoid and the missing anion in the aleurone grain or in the soluble fraction was not determined, but thought to be protein.