Effect of Ripening Degree of Argane Fruit on the Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant Activity of the fruit Pulp, Kernel and Oil

The quality of the vegetal oil depends to the quality of the fruit used during the extraction. Ripening of the fruit is one of the most important processes associated with metabolic changes in the fruit. These changes include variations in the fatty acid profile, fluctuations in the level of phenolic compounds. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ripening on the characteristics of Argane fruits including the variation of total phenol and flavonoid present in the pulp of the fruit, the kernel and the oil as well as their antioxidant potential. The rate of total phenol and flavonoid increases upon ripeness process in fruit parts and its oil; however, it decreases again in latest stages of ripeness. When compared to kernel extract and fruit pulp, oil extract with a ripeness index of 2.07 displays the highest inhibition of 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Moreover, it was revealed that the oil and kernel extract gave higher reducing power measured with the FRAP assay, It increases along the ripping process starting from ripeness index (RI) = 2.34 till 3.17.These results can be considered for a better use of fruit pulp press-cakes and oil as nutraceuticals or cosmetics. The study also helps to determine the best harvesting time in order to get a oil a high quality rich in phenolic compounds, and a large antioxidant potential which seems to be at ripeness index higher than 2.07 and lower than 3.07