Physicochemical Properties, Fatty Acid Composition, Volatile Compounds of Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, and Cuckooflower Seeds Obtained Using Sonication Method.

Dorota Bederska-Łojewska,Sylwia Orczewska-Dudek,Magdalena Rudzińska,Aleksander Siger,Aleksandra Marzec,Katarzyna Cieślik-Boczula,Anna Grygier,Władysław Migdał,Marek Pieszka

doi:10.3390/molecules26247446

Abstract

Every year, thousands of tons of fruit seeds are discarded as agro-industrial by-products around the world. Fruit seeds are an excellent source of oils, monounsaturated fatty acids, and n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. This study aimed to develop a novel technology for extracting active substances from selected seeds that were obtained after pressing fruit juices. The proposed technology involved sonification with the use of ethyl alcohol at a low extraction temperature. Seeds of four species—blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), and cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis)—were used for extraction. Following alcohol evaporation under nitrogen, the antioxidant activity, chemical composition, and volatile compounds of the obtained extracts were analyzed using chromatographic methods, including gas chromatography (GC)–mass spectrometry (MS) (GC–MS/MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography–MS. We analyzed physicochemical properties, fatty acid, and volatile compounds composition, sterol and tocochromanol content of blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, and cuckooflower seed oils obtained by sonication. This method is safe and effective, and allows for obtaining valuable oils from the seeds.

Highlights

Poland is a major fruit producer in the European Union
This suggests that the chemical composition of lipids and the susceptibility to environmental factors determine the oxidative changes occurring in natural, unrefined oils [11]
All the tested oils were characterized by low acid values (Table 1), which proves the low degree of hydrolysis and the small amount of free fatty acids

Summary

Introduction

Poland is a major fruit producer in the European Union. It ranks next to Spain, and outperforms France and Greece in fruit harvest. Seeds remaining after juice pressing are rich in valuable lipid compounds, and can be considered as useful raw materials Such seeds are characterized by high fat contents, and contain substances of high biological value. Among the lipid components in oils, triacylglycerols (TAGs; esters of glycerol and fatty acids) are the most important, followed by non-TAG groups of compounds such as phospholipids, sterols, tocopherols, and carotenoids, which are present in much smaller amounts [2,3]. These components determine the nutritional value of oils and influence their stability properties, especially oxidative stability. These acids are not synthesized in the human body, and must be supplied through food

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Conclusion