Nutritional Assessment, Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Analysis of the Pulp and Seed of Medjool Date Grown in Me´xico

Authors: SALOMON-TORRES, RICARDO - Universidad De Sonora; ORTIZ-URIBE, NOE - Universidad De Sonora; VALDEZ-SALAS, BENJAMIN - Universidad Autonoma De Baja California; ROSAS-GONZALEZ, NAVOR - Universidad Autonoma De Baja California; GARCIA-GONZALEZ, CONRADO - Universidad Autonoma De Baja California; CHAVEZ, DANIEL - Technologico De Monterrey; CORDOVA-GUERREO, IVAN - Universidad Autonoma De Baja California; DIAZ-RUBIO, LAURA - Universidad Autonoma De Baja California; HARO-VAZQUEZ, MARIA DEL PILAR - Universidad Autonoma De Baja California; MIJANGOS-MONTIEL, JOSE LUIS - Universidad Autonoma De Baja California; MORALES-MAZA, ANTONIO - Instituto Nacional De Investigaciones Forestales Y Agropecuarias (INIFAP); MAHADEVAN, PADMANABHAN - University Of South Florida College Of Medicine; Krueger, Robert

Submitted to: PeerJ
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2019
Publication Date: 7/17/2019
Citation: Salomon-Torres, R., Ortiz-Uribe, N., Valdez-Salas, B., Rosas-Gonzalez, N., Garcia-Gonzalez, C., Chavez, D., Cordova-Guerreo, I., Diaz-Rubio, L., Haro-Vazquez, M., Mijangos-Montiel, J., Morales-Maza, A., Mahadevan, P., Krueger, R. 2019. Nutritional Assessment, Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Analysis of the Pulp and Seed of Medjool Date Grown in Me´xico. PeerJ. 7. Article e6821. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6821.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6821

Interpretive Summary: Date (Phoenix dactylifera L) is a relatively new commercial crop in Mexico. Its production is predominantly in the Mexicali and San Luis Rio Colorado Valleys, with cultivar Medjool accounting for the majority of production. This study reports on fruit quality characteristics (physical properties, nutrient content, carbohydrate content, mineral content, fatty acid profile, and antioxidant activity) of Medjool dates grown in Mexico. The results indicate that Medjool dates grown in Mexico have the same or better nutritional value and antioxidant content as those grown in other major producing countries and are thus acceptable in the international market.

Technical Abstract: The aim of this study is the characterization of the date cultivar Medjool (Phoenix dactylifera L.) grown in Me´xico, to determine its profile of fatty acids, antioxidant activity, as well as the evaluation of some physical properties, nutrient content, sugars and minerals in the pulp and seeds. The samples were obtained in their maturity stage (Tamar) in the 2017 harvest season, in the valleys of San Luis Rio Colorado and Mexicali, Me´xico. The following average values were obtained on a dry weight basis (g/100g): 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%, sucrose 5.06% and 1.46%, for pulp and seeds, respectively. Analysis of the minerals revealed that the most abundant elements for the pulp were potassium 851.98, magnesium 142.97 and phosphorus 139.40 mg/100g, whereas for the seeds, they were potassium 413.36, sulfur 151.36 and phosphorus 92.42 mg/100g. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, revealed that the major unsaturated fatty acid for pulp and seeds was oleic acid, 52.34% and 45.92%, respectively. The main saturated fatty acid was palmitic acid (6.75%) and lauric acid (17.24%), respectively. The total phenolic content was 1.16 and 13.73 mg GAE/100g, for pulp and seeds, respectively. Finally, the antioxidant activities evaluated were '-carotene 65.50% and 47.75%, DPPH 0.079 and 0.0046, and ABTS 13.72 and 0.238 IC50 g/L, respectively. These results obtained in this study confirm that date fruit Medjool cultivar grown in Me´xico have the same or major quality of nutrients and antioxidants as those grown in other main producing countries.