Biochemical parameters of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) pods and seeds as affected by different geographical sites in Morocco

Abstract

The research aimed to analyze the biochemical parameters of pods and seeds from wild carob trees across 29 different regions in Morocco. The results revealed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) among carob provenances from different geographical sites. The seed was richer in secondary metabolites and total proteins compared to the pulp. The total sugar is 9.11 to 58.17 % in the pulp and 2.11 to 11.96 % in the seeds and the total proteins is 0.41 to 3.27 % in the pulp and 3.78 to 9.46 % in the seeds. The total phenols is 0.89 to 6.8 mg g−1 in the pulp and 1.92 to 7.64 mg g−1 in the seeds and the flavonoids is 3.71 to 21.12 mg g−1 in the pulp and 17.88 to 54.15 mg g−1 in the seeds. The condensed tannins is 0.28 to 4.8 mg g−1 in the pulp and 2.55 to 6.72 mg g−1 in the seeds. These findings indicate a promising potential for the genetic resources of Moroccan wild carob trees in future selection programs. In addition, this study presents strong evidence supporting the use of biochemical parameters to promote Moroccan carob as a primary product with promising applications in various industries, including food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.