Abstract
Date palm,
Phoenix dactylifera
L. (Palmaceae), is an important agricultural crop in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and USA. Date fruit is an important dietary component in the Middle Eastern region. Date fruits contain significant amount of sugar in the form of fructose and glucose in addition to dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. We have reported the functional food components in Ajwa, the most expensive date fruit in the market
1
. The major sugars present in Ajwa dates were fructose and glucose. Based on this research, we now have evaluated and quantified the sugars in all 29 varieties of date fruits (Rushoda, Nabtatali, Mutwah, Khala, Dekhaini, Ajwa, Khodry, Sullaj, Meneifi, Nabootsaif, Majhool, Sukkari, Segae, Ruthana, Barnial Madina, Shalabi, Sabaka, Luban, Rabeaa, Shaishee, Hilali, Khashram, Helwa, Safawi, Ruthana Alsharag, Anbara, Mabroom, Sefri, Deglet Noorin) produced commercially in Saudi Arabia by HPLC using a carbohydrate column and RI detection. Details of HPLC analyses, sugar contents in each variety of date fruit and varietal differences will be presented.
1. Zhang, C.-R., Aldosari, S. A., Vidyasagar, P. S. P. V., Nair, K. M., & Nair, M. G. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assays confirm bioactive compounds in Ajwa date fruit.
Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry,
61, 5834 – 5840, 2013