Effect of cultivar type and ripening on the polyphenol content of date palm fruit

Eid, N. M. S., Al-Awadi, B., Vauzour, D., Oruna-Concha, M. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7916-1592 and Spencer, J. P. E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2931-7274 (2013) Effect of cultivar type and ripening on the polyphenol content of date palm fruit. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 61 (10). pp. 2453-2460. ISSN 0021-8561 doi: 10.1021/jf303951e

Abstract/Summary

Date palm (Pheonix dactylifera) fruit contains an array of polyphenols, although how these levels alter with cultivar type and fruit ripening is unclear. Utilizing HPLC and LC-ESI-MS/MS, this study define and quantify an array of hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavonoids in three common cultivars of dates (Ajwa, Barni, and Khalas) at the main ripening stages (kimri, khalal, rutab, and tamr). Polyphenols were at highest concentration at earlier stages of ripening, with concentrations reducing with ripening. The khalal stage of the Ajwa cultivar contained significantly higher (P < 0.001) levels of polyphenols than measured in the Barni and Khalas dates at the same degree of ripening. Furthermore, the Ajwa cultivar was the only one to contain significant quantities of anthocyanidins, in particular at the khalal stage. These data suggest dates are a significant source of polyphenols, especially if the earlier edible ripening stages are consumed or utilized as food ingredients.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/31920
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences > Human Nutrition Research Group
Publisher	American Chemical Society
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