Assessment of physicochemical properties and bioactive compound of date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) in two cultivars, Piarom and Zahedi

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) plays an important social, environmental, and economic role for many people living in arid and semiarid regions of the world. Fruits of the date palm are very commonly consumed in many parts of the world and considered as a vital component of the diet and a staple food in most Arab countries. Nearly 2000 cultivars of date palm are known in the world, but only some have been evaluated for their performance and fruit quality. Dates are rich in certain nutrients and provide a good source of rapid energy, due to their high carbohydrate content (70–80%). Moreover, date fruits contain fat (0.20–0.50%), protein (2.30–5.60%), dietary fiber (6.40–11.50%), minerals (0.10–916 mg/100 g dry weight), and vitamins (C, B1, B2, B3, and A) with very little or no starch. The aim of the present work was to investigate the chemical composition, carbohydrate, and antioxidant capacity of two date palm varieties grown in Hormozgan and Farce province.
After collection, all date samples were washed with tap water, and the seeds were removed, dried at room temperature under shadow. Moisture content was determined by drying samples in oven at 60 °C until constant weight was attained. The determination of proteins was done by Bradford method. Color measurement of fruit made using a portable CR-400 colorimeter (Minolta Chroma Meter CR-400 Osaka japan).Total polyphenols were determined as described by Waterhouse, 2002.The results were expressed as milligram gallic acid equivalents per 100 g of dry weight (mg GAE/100 g DW). Total flavonoids content (TFC) of the date extracts were measured according to the colorimetric assay of Chang et al., 2002. The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging ability of palm dates was carried out using 2, 2-diphenyl- 1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) spectrophotometric method described by Choi with some modification.
Based on the results, The highest fruit length (43.6 mm), weight of pulp (9.3 g) and antioxidant activity (57 mgFW) were found in Piarom date of Hajiabad and the highest phenol (20.7 mg/gFW), TSS (77.3%) and titratable acid (0.023%) were recognized in Zahedi date of Hajiabad. Although date varieties from Jahrom showed better color index and tannin content than Hajiabad date. In comparison between two varieties, Piarom date was better in fruit weight (28.3 g), moisture content and protein content (7%) and flavonoids (22.2 mg CEQ/gFW) than the Zahedi date. However, the carbohydrate of Zahedi date (85%) was higher than the Piarom date. Therefore, in addition to the variety, location and climate condition also have the important role in determining the nutritional value of date palm fruit.