Nutritional assessment, phytochemical composition and antioxidant analysis of the pulp and seed of medjool date grown in Mexico

Abstract

The aim of this study was the characterization of fatty acids, antioxidant activity, some physical properties, nutrient content, sugars, and minerals in the pulp and seeds of the date cultivar ‘Medjool’ (Phoenix dactylifera L.) grown in Mexico. The samples were obtained at maturity (Tamar) in the 2017 harvest season in the valleys of San Luis Rio Colorado and Mexicali, Mexico. The following average values were obtained on a % dry weight basis for pulp and seeds, respectively: protein, 3.14% and 4.84%; lipids, 0.75% and 9.94%; fiber, 6.34% and 66.79%; total sugars, 75.32% and 5.88%; reducing sugars, 70.26% and 4.40%; and sucrose, 5.06% and 1.46%. Analysis of the minerals revealed that the most abundant elements for the pulp were: potassium, 851.98 mg/100 g; magnesium, 142.97 mg/100 g; and phosphorus, 139.40 mg/100 g, whereas for the seeds, they were potassium, 413.36 mg/100 g; sulfur, 151.36 mg/100 g; and phosphorus, 92.42 mg/100 g. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the major unsaturated fatty acid was oleic acid, at 52.34% and 45.92%, respectively, for pulp and seeds. The main saturated fatty acids were palmitic acid (6.75%) and lauric acid (17.24%) in pulp and seeds, respectively. The total phenolic content was 1.16 and 13.73 mg GAE/100 g for pulp and seeds, respectively. Finally, the antioxidant activities were: b-carotene, 65.50% and 47.75%; DPPH, 0.079 IC50 g/L and 0.0046 IC50 g/L; and ABTS, 13.72 IC50 g/L and 0.238 IC50 g/L, respectively. The results obtained in this study confirm that the ‘Medjool’ cultivar grown in Mexico has the same quality of nutrients and antioxidants as those grown in the other main date-producing countries.

Enhancing date seed phenolic bioaccessibility in soft cheese through a dehydrated liposome delivery system and its effect on testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats

“…This may be attributed to the high concentration of polyphenols being released. These findings are consistent with the research conducted by Salomón-Torres et al ( 62 ) who reported that the seed of “Medjool” dates has polyphenolic content 10 times greater than that found in the pulp. The study by Saleh et al ( 63 ) revealed a similar trend; they claimed that the date palm may contain water-soluble phenolic compounds.…”

Biochemical Composition and Biological Activities of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Seeds: A Review

“…In addition, research has also been conducted to explore the beneficial antioxidant effects of date seeds based on their rich source of phenolic compounds [ 34 ]. Salomón-Torres and colleagues (2019) found that the polyphenolic content in the seed of ‘Medjool’ dates is ten times higher than that in the pulp [ 35 ]. Presence of phenolic compounds such as tannins, flavonoids, saponins, anthraquinones, and coumarins agreed with the Shinoda assay contributed to the antioxidant properties of date seeds, resulting in a lower IC 50 of 0.0046 g/L by employing 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical method.…”

Bioenergy value of seed waste from the Mexican date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) industry

“…Data on the planted and producing area of date production and date crop production in Mexico in the period 1980 to 2018 were obtained from the agricultural statistical information system of Mexico (SIAP, 2018). The date seed was estimated as accounting for 5.67% of the total mass of date fruit (Salomón-Torres et al, 2019). The mass of date seeds produced was subsequently estimated through Equation ( 10).…”