Mozafati date as a potential treasure of calcium and antioxidant compounds: assessment of these phytochemicals during development

Abstract

Developmental stages can influence tissue structure, chemical composition, sweetness, and flavor of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruit. Mozafati is one of the most important commercial cultivars of date in Iran. However, the effects of developmental stages on the nutritional value of this cultivar are not known. Thus, this study attempted to provide a comprehensive analysis of various nutritional and biochemical properties of Mozafati cultivar. Anthocyanin and reducing sugars were found to increase during development while other phenolic compounds followed a downward trend. Antioxidant capacity of the fruits decreased during development; sucrose was not observed in any developmental stages. Eight phenolic compounds including gallic, chlorogenic, trans-ferulic, sinapic and p-coumaric acids, vanillin, catechin, and hesperidin were identified and quantified during development. At the first and second stages of development, the number of fruit polyphenolic compounds was higher compared to the last three stages. The results represented a higher level of sinapic acid (4.73 ± 0.74 mg/100 g of fresh weight), an important anxiolytic agent, in the Rutab stage of Mozafati cultivar. Hesperidin was also detected for the first time in the fruit of a date cultivar. Nutritional analysis of components and minerals introduced Mozafati date as a rich source of these elements. Most importantly, our findings highlight the importance of Mozafati date as a potential alternative source of calcium supplementation. The results of this study revealed the richness of Mozafati cultivar fruits in terms of many nutrients during developmental stages and the possibility of their usages in pharmaceutical or nutraceutical industries.