Sensory Metabolite Profiling in a Date Pit Based Coffee Substitute and in Response to Roasting as Analyzed via Mass Spectrometry Based Metabolomics.

Mohamed A Farag,Camilia G Michel,Aly M El-Sayed,Shaimaa A Elshebiney,Anja Ehrlich,Asmaa M Otify,Ludger A Wessjohann

doi:10.3390/molecules24183377

Abstract

Interest in developing coffee substitutes is on the rise, to minimizing its health side effects. In the Middle East, date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) pits are often used as a coffee substitute post roasting. In this study, commercially-roasted date pit products, along with unroasted and home-prepared roasted date pits, were subjected to analyses for their metabolite composition, and neuropharmacological evaluation in mice. Headspace SPME-GCMS and GCMS post silylation were employed for characterizing its volatile and non-volatile metabolite profile. For comparison to roasted coffee, coffee product was also included. There is evidence that some commercial date pit products appear to contain undeclared additives. SPME headspace analysis revealed the abundance of furans, pyrans, terpenoids and sulfur compounds in roasted date pits, whereas pyrroles and caffeine were absent. GCMS-post silylation employed for primary metabolite profiling revealed fatty acids’ enrichment in roasted pits versus sugars’ abundance in coffee. Biological investigations affirmed that date pit showed safer margin than coffee from its LD50, albeit it exhibits no CNS stimulant properties. This study provides the first insight into the roasting impact on the date pit through its metabolome and its neuropharmacological aspects to rationalize its use as a coffee substitute.

Highlights

Food waste is considered as “one of the great paradoxes of our times”, with an increasing interest in the valorization of food products, utilization of its less used parts is urged as a necessity [1]
To determine roasted date pit metabolite profiles, samples were subjected to detailed metabolomics analyses targeting its volatile and non-volatile metabolites, in comparison to those of unroasted pits and roasted coffee seeds
The metabolite profiles, nutritional, safety and neuropharmacological aspects of coffee substitutes from the roasted Majdool variety date pit were assessed in this study

Summary

Introduction

Food waste is considered as “one of the great paradoxes of our times”, with an increasing interest in the valorization of food products, utilization of its less used parts is urged as a necessity [1]. Food industries are interested in the economic utilization of food waste as valuable resources for other potential uses. Date pits are generally utilized as poultry and animal feed [2], encompassing high levels of dietary fibers which makes them suitable for preparing fiber based foods [3]. An additional novel utilization includes roasting date pits for preparing a caffeine-free beverage to be used as coffee substitute. Famous coffee substitutes worldwide include dandelion, barley and malted barley [4]

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