Affiliation(s)
1. Ecole Supérieure d’Agriculture de Mograne, 1121 Mograne, Zaghouan, Tunisia
2. Institut National des Sciences Appliquées et de Technologie (INSAT), Tunisia
3. Institut National de Recherche en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts (INRGREF), Tunisia
4. Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-Universidad de León, Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de León, León 24007, Spain
ABSTRACT
Chemical composition,
polyphenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activity were determined
in date seeds derived from four Tunisian date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
cultivars namely: Goundi, Chekena, Mnekher and Remtha. Sodium and potassium
contents in date seeds were determined by flame photometry, phenolic compounds
by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, flavonoids by colorimetric quantification, and
the antioxidant activity by the DPPH free radical scavenging method. Crude
protein content varied widely (p < 0.001) between date
seed varieties and ranged from 3.95 (Goundi) to 7.51 % DM (Chekena). No
significant differences (p > 0.001) were detected
between seed varieties for their dry matter (DM) and ash contents. However,
sodium, potassium and phosphorus varied widely (p < 0.001) between varieties. The highest phenolic content
(p <
0.001) was observed in Goundi (39.4 mg gallic acid
equivalent (GAE)/g DM) and Remtha (36.6 mg GAE/g DM) seed varieties. Likewise,
Goundi had the highest (p < 0.001) flavonoid
content (16.4 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g DM) and antioxidant activity (1,807 µM Trolox
equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC)/g DM); however the lowest values (p <
0.001) of phenolic (19.2 mg GAE/g DM), flavonoid (8.8
mg QE/g DM) and antioxidant activity (682 µM TEAC/g DM) were observed for
Chekena seeds. Further studies are needed to verify the potential of date seeds
as alternative for animal nutrition.
KEYWORDS
Date seeds, chemical composition, phenolic, flavonoid,
antioxidant activity.
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References