Abstract
Microwave pretreatment of oilseeds is a novel technique used to enhance oil nutraceutical properties. In this study, the effect of microwave pretreatment of seeds was investigated on pomegranate seed oil quality attributes including oil yield, yellowness index, refractive index, peroxide value, ρ-anisidine value, total oxidation value, conjugated dienes, total phenolic content, total carotenoids content, phytosterol composition, fatty acid composition, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The seeds of three different pomegranate cultivars (‘Acco’, ‘Herskawitz’, and ‘Wonderful’) were microwave heated at 261 W for 102 s. Pomegranate seeds microwave pretreatment enhanced oil yield, yellowness index, total carotenoids content, total phenolic content, FRAP and DPPH radical scavenging capacity, despite an increase in conjugated dienes, and peroxide value. Palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, saturated, and monosaturated fatty acids were increased after pomegranate seeds microwave pretreatment, whilst the levels of punicic acid and β-sitosterol were reduced. Nevertheless, the refractive index, the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid of the extracted oil were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by pomegranate seeds microwave pretreatment. Principal component analysis and agglomerative hierarchical clustering established that ‘Acco’ and ‘Wonderful’ oil extracts from microwave pretreated PS exhibited better oil yield, whilst ‘Herskawitz’ oil extracts showed higher total carotenoids content, total phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity.
Highlights
The demand for the use of natural products in preventing chronic and degenerative diseases has increased in recent decades, driven by increased consumer health awareness [1]
Compared to the current study, the difference in oil yield could be explained by variation in cultivar, seeds pretreatment conditions, oil extraction methods, and fruit growing region, among other factors
The present study established that pomegranate seed oil (PSO) quality may be enhanced by seeds during microwave pretreatment, oil quality varies with cultivar
Summary
The demand for the use of natural products in preventing chronic and degenerative diseases has increased in recent decades, driven by increased consumer health awareness [1]. Attention has been given to functional foods that provide both nutritional functions and health benefits. Pomegranate fruit is rich in both nutritional and biological properties [2]. The fruit has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region, mainly for its nutritional and pharmacological value [3]. Pomegranates have been used in the treatment of sore throats, coughs, ulcers, urinary infections, intestinal worms, digestive disorders, skin disorders, and arthritis for centuries [4]. Apart from being consumed as fresh fruits, pomegranates may be processed into various products such as juice, jam, wine, syrup, among other products. The fruit contains seeds that range between 37 and 143 g/kg
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