Chemical Composition of the Flesh and the Pit of Date Palm Fruit and Radical Scavenging Activity of Their Extracts

Abstract

The chemical analysis of flesh and pit of two varieties of date palm fruit (Deglet nour and Alig) as well as the radical scavenging activity of their extracts was undertaken. The fruits were grown in Djerid region (Oasis of Tozeur, Tunisia). Total sugars was measured by HPLC method or with Fehling reagent, crude lipid content was obtained by Soxhlet's extraction, mineral elements were measured by atomic absorption photometer. The antioxidant activity of extracts from the flesh and pit of the date fruit was measured on the basis of the scavenging activity of the stable 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhy-drazyl (DPPH) free radical. Our results showed that the total sugars could present over 60% of the dry weight of date flesh in two studied varieties. The content of reducing sugars was higher in Alig variety than Deglet nour. For the minerals content, dates flesh were a very good source of several minerals and could be an important source of potassium for regular consumer with a concentration of 0.61 and 0.72% (dry matter), respectively from flesh Deglet nour and Alig. Concerning the date pit composition, oils content was 10.13% in Deglet nour and 12.37% in Alig and the total sugars were less than 6% for the two varieties. In addition, ethyl acetate extracts from flesh Deglet nour, pit Deglet nour and pit Alig showed an important free radical scavenging activity towards 1-1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical.