DATE SEED OIL: PHENOLIC, TOCOPHEROL AND STEROL PROFILES

Oils extracted from the seeds of two date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars, Deglet Nour and Allig, collected from Tunisia, were compared in terms of phenolic, tocopherol and sterol profiles. These minor components are not only very important for functional properties of oils (oxidation resistance, taste, aroma and color), but could also have many health benefits. Total phenols, considered as the principal source of oil oxidation resistance, ranged from 520.81 for Deglet Nour to 220.32 mg/kg for Allig. High performance liquid chromatography revealed eight identified peaks for which the major