Fatty acids, sterols, phenols and antioxidant activity of Phoenix theophrasti fruits growing in Crete, Greece.

In the present study we report the chemical composition of the Cretan Phoenix theophrasti Gr. fruits, in comparison with dates, from its close relative Phoenix dactylifera L. for their nutritional value and their potential exploitation as a source of bioactive components such as phytosterols, lipids and polyphenols. The non polar dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) extract of the fruits was analysed by several techniques (TLC, CC, GC and GC-MS) and was found to consist mainly from fatty acids, hydrocarbons and phytosterols. Palmitic acid was the most abundant fatty acid, 12.49% of total saponifiables, while beta-sitosterol was the most prevalent phytosterol, 29.46% of total unsaponifiable lipid fraction. The polar methanolic extract was examined for its total phenolic content, by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, as well as for its antioxidant activity through DPPH assay, in comparison with previous studies on the fruits of several Phoenix dactylifera varieties. This fraction was found to possess strong antioxidant activity despite its lower content of phenolic compounds in comparison with previously studied Phoenix dactylifera specimens.