Abstract
Date seeds are a major waste product of the date industry that could offer potentially valuable material for the production of useful food ingredients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the seeds of three date varieties of the UK market (Deglet Nour, Khouat Allig, and Zahidi) for their proximate composition, total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC) contents and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) with a view to their eventual industrial application. Carbohydrates were present in the highest concentrations varying between 74.13 and 76.54 g 100 g-1 of date seed powder (DSP) on dry weight (DW) basis, followed in descending order by fats (7.64-8.84 g 100 g-1) and proteins (4.35-5.51 g 100 g-1). Potassium was found in high amounts with values ranging between 280.55 and 293.13 mg 100 g-1. The majority of the total phenolic content (2058-2984 mg GAE 100 g-1) was assumed to be composed of flavonoids (1271-1932 mg CAE 100 g-1). These families of dietary phenolics may be the major ones responsible for the high antioxidant capacity reported in date seeds, which varied from 12540 and 27699 µmol TE 100 g-1. These results suggest that date seeds can be considered a potential raw material for natural, active ingredients for food applications as well as an unexplored source of novel nutraceuticals and dietary supplements.
Highlights
The processing of many foods generates waste residues and by-products that can be converted into useful ingredients
The present study improves our knowledge of the chemical composition of date seeds, and supports their potential use as natural, active ingredients for food and non-food applications
The suitability of using date seed powders to counteract lipid oxidation and maintain food quality should be assessed on complex food systems using more specific techniques
Summary
The processing of many foods generates waste residues and by-products that can be converted into useful ingredients. The worldwide production of dates has steadily grown over the last decade and has reached 7.9 million tonnes (FAO, 2012). This has been beneficial to the underdeveloped areas where date palms are most commonly cultivated (Aleid, 2011) as it has brought new opportunities for social and economic growth. Other studies have revealed much higher amounts of such compounds in date seeds as compared to the corresponding flesh (AlFarsi et al, 2007), increasing the general interest in this waste material and in its potential application in the food industry. The nutritional and phytochemical content of date seeds from different geographic origins are well established
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
