Background and objectives: This work aimed to evaluate the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of water extracts of three different date seed varieties i.e., Aseel, Karbalaen and Khupro. Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds are available in bulk quantities after manufacturing of pitted dates or syrup and are considered as waste stream.Methods: Total phenolic content in date seeds was determined with Folin-Ciocalteu's phenol reagent. The phenolic compounds profile was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant capacity of each variety was investigated by 2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate assays.Results: Eight phenolics including gallic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, catechin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid and sinapic acid were detected in date seeds. The highest content of phenolics was found in Aseel, followed by Karbalaen and Khupro date seeds respectively. Furthermore, the phenolic profile also correlated with the antioxidant capacity of these samples.
Conclusion:Date seeds contain significant level of phenolics and possess high antioxidant activity. Therefore, date seeds could be promising candidates for biomedical applications, functional foods and fortification to increase the shelf life of food products.