Is oral consumption of dates (Phoenix dactylifera L. fruit) in the peripartum period effective and safe integrative care to facilitate childbirth and improve perinatal outcomes: a comprehensive revised systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent reviews have reported inconclusive results regarding the usefulness of consuming dates (Phoenix dactylifera L. fruit) in the peripartum period. Hence, this updated systematic review with meta-analysis sought to investigate the efficacy and safety of this integrated intervention in facilitating childbirth and improving perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Eight data sources were searched comprehensively from their inception until April 30, 2023. Parallel-group randomized and non-randomized controlled trials published in any language were included if conducted during peripartum (i.e., third trimester of pregnancy, late pregnancy, labor, or postpartum) to assess standard care plus oral consumption of dates versus standard care alone or combined with other alternative interventions. The Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias (RoB) assessment tools and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) were employed to evaluate the potential RoB and the overall quality of the evidence, respectively. Sufficient data were pooled by a random-effect approach utilizing Stata software. RESULTS: Of 2,460 records in the initial search, 48 studies reported in 55 publications were included. Data were insufficient for meta-analysis regarding fetal, neonatal, or infant outcomes; nonetheless, most outcomes were not substantially different between dates consumer and standard care groups. However, meta-analyses revealed that dates consumption in late pregnancy significantly shortened the length of gestation and labor, except for the second labor stage; declined the need for labor induction; accelerated spontaneity of delivery; raised cervical dilatation (CD) upon admission, Bishop score, and frequency of spontaneous vaginal delivery. The dates intake in labor also significantly reduced labor duration, except for the third labor stage, and increased CD two hours post-intervention. Moreover, the intervention during postpartum significantly boosted the breast milk quantity and reduced post-delivery hemorrhage. Likewise, dates supplementation in the third trimester of pregnancy significantly increased maternal hemoglobin levels. The overall evidence quality was also unacceptable, and RoB was high in most studies. Furthermore, the intervention's safety was recorded only in four trials. CONCLUSION: More well-designed investigations are required to robustly support consuming dates during peripartum as effective and safe integrated care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO Registration No: CRD42023399626.

Soluble natural sweetener from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) extract using colloidal gas aphrons generated with a food-grade non-ionic surfactant.

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is the most commonly cultivated fruit tree in the Middle East and North Africa. Date fruits are an excellent source of nutrition due to their high sugar content and high levels of phenols, minerals, and antioxidants. This work aimed to prepare a soluble natural sweetener from date fruit extract using colloidal gas aprons (CGAs) generated with a food-grade non-ionic surfactant (Tween 20). Various process parameters, such as the flow rate of the CGAs, the volume of the feed, the temperature of the CGAs, and the feed solution, were varied to obtain the optimal parameters. In the foam phase, the maximum soluble sugar enrichment of 92% was obtained at a flow rate of 50 mL/min of CGA and a solution temperature of 23 °C. The formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the glucose molecules and the surfactant Tween 20 was confirmed by molecular modeling studies. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05907-9.

The effect of date fruit consumption on early postpartum hemorrhage: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum hemorrhage, anemia, and iron deficiency are important health problems. Using safe, cheap, and available methods to reduce the amount of hemorrhage after childbirth can be effective for the mother's health during this period. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of date fruit consumption on the amount of hemorrhage after natural childbirth. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 98 women referred to the maternity ward of Al-Zahra Hospital in Rasht using the available sampling method. The primary outcome was postpartum hemorrhage, measured using the Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart (PBLAC). Two hours after delivery, 100 g of date fruits were given to the intervention group, and the amount of hemorrhage was recorded during the first 24 h. Comparison between the two groups was done with the Mann-Whitney test with the Hodges-Lehmann estimator and corresponding exact conditional nonparametric confidence interval (CI) as effect estimate. A P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The median of postpartum hemorrhage after normal delivery in the date and control groups was 35.0 [interquartile range (IQR): 22.0 to 39.8] and 39.0 [IQR: 27.5 to 64.5], respectively. Using the Hodges-Lehmann estimator, on average, the median postpartum hemorrhage in the date group was 9.0 (95% CI: 2.00-18.0) units lower than the control group (P = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Consumption of dates effectively reduces the amount of hemorrhage after natural childbirth; thus, consuming this fruit during postpartum period is recommended. Also to confirm the findings, it is recommended to conduct similar studies in this field. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials; https://www.irct.ir/trial/59197 (IRCT20210607051505N2) on 31/10/2021.

Life-table parameters of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on different stored date palm fruits under laboratory conditions.

Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a polyphagous insect pest that causes serious damage to various food crops in storage. This study aimed to investigate the life-history and demographic parameters of P. interpunctella on 5 varieties of date palm fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.), including Dayri, Estemaran, Fersi, Halavi, and Zahedi under laboratory conditions. Data were analyzed and compared using the age-stage, 2-sex life table. Plodia interpunctella completed its development on all date varieties. The shortest and longest pre-adult periods were recorded on Zahedi (38.47 days) and Estemaran (44.65 days) varieties, respectively. The net reproductive rates (R0) were 82.51, 59.05, 63.61, 102.27, and 114.86 offspring on Dayri, Estemaran, Fersi, Halavi, and Zahedi varieties, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) were 0.098, 0.085, 0.089, 0.109, and 0.113 day-1 on Dayri, Estemaran, Fersi, Halavi, and Zahedi varieties, respectively. The female fecundity ranged from 133.4 to 259.24 eggs on Estemaran and Zahedi varieties, respectively. The highest mean generation time (T) was obtained on Estemaran (47.984 days), and the lowest value of this parameter was obtained on Zahedi (41.722 days) variety. The results indicated that Zahedi and Halavi varieties were the susceptible hosts for P. interpunctella. In contrast, the Estemaran and Fersi were the most resistant varieties against P. interpunctella, which can be used for integrated management programs to decrease the damage of this pest.

A Sustainable Approach for the Valorization of Underutilized Date Fruits.

Secondary varieties of date fruits are often discarded because they do not have commercial value. However, their phytochemicals are very similar to those of the primary ones and therefore, they can be valorized as a source of compounds of interest, mainly phenols and dietary fiber. Their chemical composition changes with ripening, so their characterization throughout this process is of great significance. Date fruit samples were harvested at Khalal, Rutab, and Tamer stages, and a mixture of fruits from ornamental date trees was also analyzed. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts were studied for their phenolic composition. In aqueous extracts, phenols decreased with ripening, while in the ethanolic ones having higher phenolic content. Chelidonic acid, a γ-pyrone, was the major compound found in all extracts, but in the ethanolic ones, flavonoids were also present in similar amounts. After purification by adsorption chromatography, all extracts were assayed for their antimicrobial activity. Those from the Tamer stage showed the highest activity, especially against Gram-positive bacteria. The fibrous residues after aqueous and ethanolic extractions were also characterized. Their chemical composition suggested that they can be considered as a good source of prebiotic arabinoxylans and antioxidant fiber, whose antiradical activity correlated with their phenolic content. Date fruits from secondary varieties are promising as a worthwhile starting point for obtaining new value-added products.

Design of a Smart IoT-Based Control System for Remotely Managing Cold Storage Facilities.

Cold storage is deemed one of the main elements in food safety management to maintain food quality. The temperature, relative humidity (RH), and air quality in cold storage rooms (CSRs) should be carefully controlled to ensure food quality and safety during cold storage. In addition, the components of CSR are exposed to risks caused by the electric current, high temperature surrounding the compressor of the condensing unit, snow and ice accumulation on the evaporator coils, and refrigerant gas leakage. These parameters affect the stored product quality, and the real-time sending of warnings is very important for early preemptive actionability against the risks that may cause damage to the components of the cold storage rooms. The IoT-based control (IoT-BC) with multipurpose sensors in food technologies presents solutions for postharvest quality management of fruits during cold storage. Therefore, this study aimed to design and evaluate a IoT-BC system to remotely control, risk alert, and monitor the microclimate parameters, i.e., RH, temperature, CO2, C2H4, and light and some operating parameters, i.e., the temperature of the refrigeration compressor, the electrical current, and the energy consumption for a modified CSR (MCSR). In addition, the impacts of the designed IoT-BC system on date fruit quality during cold storage were investigated compared with a traditional CSR (TCSR) as a case study. The results showed that the designed IoT-BC system precisely controlled the MCSR, provided reliable data about the interior microclimate atmosphere, applied electrical current and energy consumption of the MCSR, and sent the necessary alerts in case of an emergency based on real-time data analytics. There was no significant effect of the storage time on the most important quality attributes for stored date fruit in the MCSR compared with the TCSR. As a result, the MCSR maintained high-quality attributes of date fruits during cold storage. Based on the positive impact of the designed IoT-BC system on the MCSR and stored fruit quality, this modification seems quite suitable for remotely managing cold storage facilities.

Effects of crystallization temperature on the characteristics of sugar crystals in date fruit syrup as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized microscopy (PLM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Characteristics of sugar crystals are important for developing set-syrup due to their contribution to the desired mouth feel when consumed. Two types of set-syrup (i.e. seeds with and without) were developed by storing the syrup at -20, 4 and 15 °C. The melting temperatures (onset and peak), and enthalpy of set-syrup without seeds (SN) were 30.2 °C, 74.6 °C and 42.2 kJ/kg respectively. In the case of SN, enthalpy decreased with the decrease of crystallization temperature (P < 0.05), while there was insignificant change in the case of set-syrup with seeds (SW) (P > 0.05). Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) images showed that finer crystals were formed in the cases of set-syrups (i.e. SN and SW) as the storage temperature was decreased. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed the formation of different polymorphic sugar crystals. Crystallization temperatures at 4 and -20 °C can be used to produce finer crystals with varied polymorphic characteristics.

Effects of date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) on labor and delivery outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The rate of cesarean section is increasing in all over the world with different drafts in various countries. This growth increases unpleasant outcomes of delivery. Recent studies explained the benefits of date palm fruit on labor process improvement. Date fruit can be considered as a factor for increasing vaginal delivery and also reducing the frequency of caesarean section in order to prevent its great complications. This systematic review has been designed to review clinical studies that investigate the effects of date palm fruit on labor outcomes (duration of labor stages, bishop score, and frequency of cesarean section) compared with routine cares. METHODS: This study was performed in 2019. Required data has been collected from electronic databases and manual searches. All randomized clinical trials evaluating the effects of date palm fruit on labor and delivery that were published from January 2000 to August 2019 in English and Persian languages, were incorporated in this systematic review. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated according to the risk of bias assessment of Cochrane handbook of systematic reviews, and were then reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. RESULTS: Eight studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. Meta-Analysis showed that date fruit consumption can significantly reduce active phase of labor (three trials with 380 participants; (MD = - 109.3, 95%CI (- 196.32, - 22.29; I2 = 89%), P = 0.01), and also it can significantly improve the bishop score (two trials with 320 participants; MD = 2.45, 95%CI (1.87, 3.04; I2 = 0%), P < 0.00001). Date fruit consumption had no effects on the duration of first, second, and third stages of labor, and the frequency of cesarean section. CONCLUSION: Date can reduce the duration of active phase and improve the bishop score; however, due to from the low to mediate quality of the studies; it seems that the other studies are needed to prove these results better than this.

Monitoring pesticide residues in dates marketed in Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia using a QuEChERS methodology and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A sensitive, simple and rapid QuEChERS extraction method and liquid chromatography equipped with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were used to determine 42 pesticides in dates. Acidified acetonitrile and citrate buffer salts were used to extract re-hydrated samples. Acceptable validation performances were achieved, i.e. recovery range of 70-120% and RSD values ≤20% for 42 analytes at three different concentrations:100, 50 and 10 µg/kg. This method was used to analyse 200 date fruit samples (var. Sukkari) collected from different large markets in the Al-Qassim region in Saudi Arabia. Pesticide residues were detected in 36 (18%) of the date fruits samples, and 15 samples (7.5%) exceeded the maximum residue levels. The ruggedness test results showed that this method is robust and suitable for the determination of pesticide residues in dates. Additionally, the results showed that the monitored dates did not have a health impact on consumers in Saudi Arabia during the study period.

Modelling the effect of temperature, water activity and carbon dioxide on the growth of Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata isolated from fresh date fruit.

AIMS: To quantify and model the combined effects of temperature (T) (10-40°C), water activity (aw ) (0·993-0·818) and CO2 concentration (9·4-55·1%, v/v) on the growth rate of Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata that cause spoilage during the storage and packaging of dates. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effects of environmental factors were studied using the γ-concept. Cardinal models were used to quantify the effect of studied environmental factors on the growth rates. Firstly, the cardinal parameters were estimated independently from experiments carried out on potato dextrose agar using a monofactorial design. Secondly, model performance evaluation was conducted on pasteurized date paste. The boundary between growth and no-growth was predicted using a deterministic approach. Aspergillus niger displayed a faster growth rate and higher tolerance to low aw than Al. alternata, which in turn proved more resistant to CO2 concentration. Minimal cardinal parameters of T and aw were lower than those reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of the aw and CO2 effects significantly affected As. niger and Al. alternata growth. The γ-concept model overestimated growth rates, however, it is optimistic and provides somewhat conservative predictions. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The developed model provides a decision support tool for the choice of the date fruit conservation mode (refrigeration, drying, modified atmospheric packaging or their combination) using T, aw and CO2 as environmental factors.

Production of date palm fruits free of acaricides residues by ozone technology as post-harvest treatment.

Distilled water and ozonated water as postharvest wash treatments for 15-60 min as dipping times were tested to remove two acaricides namely, dicofol and amitraz from different varieties of date fruits. Recovered amount of the acaricides was extracted using solid phase extraction (SPE) and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Dicofol removal percentages in the presence of ozone increased in the order of Nabtet Aly > Nabout Seif > Khalas > Sakay, while amitraz removal increased in the order of Nabtet Aly > Nabout Seif > Sakay > Khalas, respectively, and the percentages of residues on date fruits depended on the dipping time. Kinetic studies revealed that dicofol and amitraz were easily removable from date fruits treated with ozonated water. Ozone-treated date palm fruits were not associated with significant changes in antioxidant capacity, and phenolic and sugar contents. Due to the large amount of dates consumed by Saudi residents, a higher risk of exposure to pesticides, especially in children and other vulnerable individuals may occur and the search for safety methods to remove pesticides with negligible residual deposits has always been preferred. Therefore, the present study validated that ozone technology as wash treatments is safe and promising processes for the removal of acaricides from date fruits surface under domestic conditions to reduce the impact over consumer's health.

An Overview of Date (Phoenix dactylifera) Fruits as an Important Global Food Resource.

Dates are the fruits of the date palm belonging to the Arecaceae family; they comprise over 2500 species and 200 genera and constitute an essential part of the daily diet worldwide, with beneficial nutritional, health, and economic values. Several varieties of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit exist globally, especially in hot and humid regions. This review is an overview of date palms as a significant global food resource, including their historical significance, nutritional composition, cultivation practices, economic importance, and health benefits. The historical journey of dates goes back to ancient civilizations where they were revered for their richness in essential nutrients and natural sweetness. Today, dates are a vital crop in arid regions, contributing substantially to the agricultural economy and livelihoods of communities. This paper further explores the cultivation techniques employed to enhance date production. Furthermore, the nutritional composition of dates is analyzed in detail, highlighting their high content of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, and antioxidants. These attributes make dates a delicious treat and a valuable nutritional component, offering numerous health benefits. The potential health effects, including improved digestion, enhanced cardiovascular health, and increased energy levels, are discussed. Additionally, this paper delves into the economic significance of the date industry and its global trade.

Date fruit melanin is primarily based on (-)-epicatechin proanthocyanidin oligomers.

Plant-based melanin seems to be abundant, but it did not receive scientific attention despite its importance in plant biology and medicinal applications, e.g. photoprotection, radical scavenging, antimicrobial properties, etc. Date fruit melanin (DM) has complex, graphene-like, polymeric structure that needs characterization to understand its molecular properties and potential applications. This study provides the first investigation of the possible molecular composition of DM. High performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) suggested that DM contains oligomeric structures (569-3236 Da) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed agglomeration of these structures in granules of low total porosity (10-1000 Å). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provided evidence for the presence of oligomeric proanthocyanidins and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed a g-factor in the range 2.0034-2.005. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that the EPR signals can be associated with oligomeric proanthocyanidin structures having 4 and above molecular units of (-)-epicatechin. The discovery of edible melanin in date fruits and its characterization are expected to open a new area of research on its significance to nutritional and sensory characteristics of plant-based foods.

Hepatoprotective effect of date fruit extract against ethanol-induced apoptosis in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells.

Ethanol is a well-known hepatotoxic agent and date fruits have been associated with their biological actions. In current study, we have investigated the hepatoprotective potential of DFE on ethanol-induced cellular damages in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. The hepatoprotective potential was assessed by exposing the HepG2 cells to non-toxic concentrations (15, 30, and 60 µg/mL) of DFE for 24 h; then toxic concentration (500 µM) of ethanol. Our results demonstrated that pretreatment with DFE significantly prohibited ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells. We observed that DFE treatment increased cell viability, reduced LDH leakage, restored cellular morphology, and inhibited caspase-3 enzyme activity in a dose dependent way, induced by ethanol. Further DFE was also effective in restoring the LPO, GSH, and catalase levels towards normal altered by ethanol. Our results also revealed that ethanol-induced ROS generation was significantly inhibited by DFE. The ethanol-induced mRNA expression of apoptotic related genes (p53, caspase-3, caspase-7, Bax, and Bcl-2) were also normalized by pretreatment with DFE. The findings from this study indicated that DFE can significantly protect HepG2 cells against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Our study also provides scientific validation for the traditional use of DFE, aiming to understand its hepatoprotective potential. Altogether, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrated that ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity can be prohibited by the DFE. Thus, DFE has a potential application in nutraceuticals as a therapeutic agent to prevent liver diseases.

Physical properties and mass models of Deglet Noor and Arichti semi-dry Algerian date fruits: A comparative study.

For thousands of years, date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) has been a popular diet in arid and semi-arid locations. It has religious importance for Muslims and is especially important during the holy month of Ramadan. The global output of date fruits has been continuously expanding, with Arab nations accounting for a sizable portion. The emphasis of this research is on two popular semi-dry Algerian date fruit types, Deglet Noor and Arechti, which are grown in the Ziban region. These fruits' physical parameters, such as size, sphericity, surface area, volumes, and density, were determined. The goal of this study was to create a mass model based on these physical attributes to help in the grading and sorting of date fruits. Fruit mass was shown to be closely connected to linear dimensions, arithmetic and geometric mean diameters, surface area, and volumes. Correlations between mass and physical attributes were established using a variety of mathematical models, including linear, quadratic, S-curve, and power models. The results demonstrated the applicability of specific factors for mass modeling, offering useful insights for the development of system sizing and conservation. With good correlation, multivariate data analysis was employed to correctly estimate the mass of both kinds. This research advances our understanding of the physical features of Algerian date fruits and their connection to mass, allowing for better handling, sorting, and packing processes in the worldwide date market.

Pesticide residues in fresh Mazafati date fruit, soil, and water, and assessment of potential health risks to consumers.

A quantitative method based on quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe technique (QuEChERS) sample extraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was evolved for the determination of 47 pesticide residues in fresh Mazafati date fruits from Bam City of Kerman Province, Iran. The recoveries for selected pesticides ranged from 88 to 110% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 20% at concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 mg kg-1. The proposed method had a linear range from the limit of quantification (LOQ) to 1.00 mg kg-1, and the LOQ of the 47 pesticides was ≤ 0.005 mg kg-1. The coefficients of determination (R2) were more than 0.99. This technique was used on 12 fresh date fruits samples, three water samples, and three soil samples with three replications per sample. Forty-seven pesticide were detected collectively, but only diazinon was detected in the date fruit samples. The mean value of diazinon residues was 0.037 mg kg-1, and the concentration of diazinon in most samples was below the national maximum residue limit (MRL) for date fruit (0.05 mg kg-1). Among the pesticides measured, diazinon residues were also detected in the water samples, but not in the soil samples. The dietary intake assessment showed no health risk to humans from the consumption of fresh date fruit concerning the pesticides investigated.

Cypermethrin Toxicity-induced Infertility: An Assessment of Longitudinal Transfer of Protective Potentials of Date Fruit Extracts in Wister Rats.

BACKGROUND: There is a potential for longitudinal and horizontal transfer of the cytotoxic effects of cypermethrin, and evidence suggests that date fruit extracts can ameliorate these cytotoxic effects. Thus, the current study evaluated female Wister rats' fertility and pup parameters after mating males treated with cypermethrin and date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) extract. METHODS: Adult Wistar rats (n = 74; 140 - 207 g) were used to conduct this experiment in two phases: The first phase was a single dose toxicity study (n = 18), while the second phase (n = 56) evaluated female Wister rats' reproductive and pup development parameters after mating with male Wistar rats exposed to date fruit extract and cypermethrin. Male rats were distributed randomly into four groups (n = 7 per group) and administered distilled water (Group I); 60 mg/kg cypermethrin (Group II) to simulate infertility; 250 mg/kg date fruit extract alone (Group III); and date fruit extracts plus 60 mg/kg cypermethrin (Group IV). Treated males were then mated with healthy female rats at a ratio of 1:1. Successfully mated females were appraised for conception and pregnancy rates, gestation length, litter size, and weights at birth, and on days 5, 10, 15, and 21 post-partum, an anogenital distance at day-20, sex ratio, and age of pup when hair growth was evident. RESULTS: Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in litter size and male anogenital distance but not in reproductive performance. Also, the study demonstrated that date fruit extract skewed the sex ratio of offspring to more female than male pups when female Wister rats were mated with males that received date fruit extracts alone or cypermethrin and date fruit extracts. The body weight gain did not differ significantly between the control and cypermethrin-treated groups. CONCLUSION: This evidence suggested a longitudinal transfer of the protective effects of date fruit extracts following a weekly exposure of male rats to cypermethrin at 60 mg/kg.

Characterization analysis of date fruit pomace: An underutilized waste bioresource rich in dietary fiber and phenolic antioxidants.

Date fruit pomace (DFP), an abundant byproduct of the date syrup industry, is currently underutilized. It is either fed to animals or landfilled where it ferments, causing serious environmental issues. Proper waste management through valorization strategies is required to reduce the environmental impact of date waste and foster the transition of the date processing industry towards sustainability. The implementation of valorization strategies requires characterizing the DFP composition. Herein, four DFP samples of Emirati varieties were characterized in terms of compositional and functional properties. The fresh DFPs contained moisture (∼60.0 g/100 g). On a dry matter basis, DFPs contained total dietary fiber (∼45.5 g/100 g), residual sugars (∼35.3 g/100 g), protein (∼10.6 g/100 g), ash (∼4.1 g/100 g), and fat (∼1.3 g/100 g). They were also rich in nutritionally important elements such as potassium (∼145.7 ppm), calcium (∼46 ppm), phosphorus (∼28.7 ppm), and magnesium (∼26.7 ppm). The total phenolic content varied from 170 to 260 mg gallic acid equivalents GAE/100 g, making DFP a good source of antioxidants. Scanning electron microscopy measurements revealed the presence of fibrous bundle-like structures, whose thermal stability was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis, showing the dominance of insoluble over soluble fiber. Higher water- and oil-holding capacities were found for dried desugared pomace. The high fiber, phenolic, and elemental content highlight the high nutritional value of DFP, which can be used as dietary supplement, while its sugar content can be used to produce value-added biochemicals via fermentation. Thus, DFP may represent a valuable bioresource for food and non-food applications.

Quality Characteristics of Fresh Date Palm Fruits of "Medjoul" and "Confitera" cv. from the Southeast of Spain (Elche Palm Grove).

The quality characteristics (physical, techno-functional, and chemical) of date fruits (at the tamar stage) of two cultivars ("Confitera", autochthonous and unknown vs. "Medjoul", widely distributed and well-known), grown in the Southeast of Spain (Elche palm grove) were evaluated in order to reinforce decisions aimed at organizing the production of fresh dates from Elche by selecting the most profitable cultivar. Morphologically, Confitera dates were longer and with higher pulp yield than Medjoul dates (4.58 cm vs. 3.88 cm, and 84% vs. 78%, respectively) (p < 0.05). Nutritionally, both dates are a good source of carbohydrates (total sugars (43-48%) and dietary fiber (20-22%)), with small amounts of fat and proteins. The main free sugars in dates from both cultivars were glucose and fructose (reducing sugars). The most abundant mineral found in both date fruits were K, followed by Ca or Mg (depending on the cultivar; Ca in Medjoul and Mg in Confitera). Confitera dates showed a higher total antioxidant activity than Medjoul, corresponding with their higher (p < 0.05) content in polyphenolic compounds, mainly flavonoids (catechin and epicatechin predominantly). Confitera dates should be promoted in this region not only for their contribution to sustainable agricultural development and biodiversity, but also for their higher overall quality.

Valorization of Second-Grade Date Fruit Byproducts and Nonstandard Sweet Potato Tubers to Produce Novel Biofortified Functional Jam.

Byproducts of second-grade dates and sweet potato tubers of noncommercial standard are produced along with the main product and are just as important as the main product but cannot be sold in the open market, as they may not be considered acceptable by consumers. Such byproducts can be valorized through the manufacture of a wide range of functional food products with high market appeal, such as jams. The research approach of this study included measuring antioxidant activity, total flavonoids, polyphenols, physicochemical and color indices, pH, and total sugar, as well as conducting a sensory evaluation, of mixed jams composed of different ratios of date jam (DFJ) to sweet potato jam (SPJ), namely, DP1 (80:20), DP2 (70:30), DP3 (60:40), and DP4 (50:50). To date, no other studies have considered producing mixed jam from dates and sweet potato byproducts. The sensory evaluation results indicated that jam DP4 (consisting of 50% date and 50% sweet potato) had the maximum overall acceptability. This investigation reveals the potential of using mixed byproducts in jams as natural functional ingredients, suggesting the economic value of valorization byproducts as low-cost ingredients to expand the properties, nutritional value, antioxidant content, and overall acceptability of jams. The discovered optimal mixed fruit jam has significant potential for further development as a commercial product.