Nutritional and functional compounds and antioxidant activity of edible and non-edible fruit part of brebas and figs (Ficus carica L.) among different varieties

Abstract

Background. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of variety on the key nutritional and functional compounds (organic acids and sugars, dietary fiber, macro- and micro- elements, antioxidant activity and total phenols) and antioxidant activity on edible and non-edible fruit part (pulp and peel, respectively) from breba and fig fruits. Results. Significant differences among variety were found in most of the parameters studied. Among pulps, the highest total sugar content and% dietary fiber was found in Colar de Albatera fig one. Taking the macro-elements content among peels into account, the greatest value was found in the San Antonio breba peel. On the other hand, both Cuello de Dama Negra breba and figs peel showed the highest values of ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and TPC. Principal component analysis (PCA) easily shows that sugars and organic acids, dietary fiber, mineral content, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content are more correlated with the peel than with the pulp. Sugars content was higher in figs than in breba, while the percentage of total dietary fiber was higher in breba than in fig. Conclusions. Finally, clear changes in nutritional and functional compounds and antioxidant activity values of edible and non-edible fruit parts were observed in this study among the different studied varieties. Also, higher values of key components were found in non-edible than edible fruit part. A potential strategy could be the development of novel additives/ingredients for food industry from non-edible fruit part or unharvested edible fig fruits since it can be catalogued such as fig by-products