Study and Comparison of Chemical and Antioxidant Properties of Mazafati Date Seed Germ and Seed Powder

Background and Objective: Ever since the concept of functional foods was introduced and consumer awareness of the relationship between health and food consumption increased, there has been a rise in demand for super healthy foods. There is a considerable amount of dietary fiber in date seeds, which plays a key role in disease prevention. Iran is one of the top date producers in the world, and considering the nutritional value of this product, the application of date seed, as a byproduct of the date industry, in human and animal nutrition has attracted great interest. Materials and Methods: In this study, date seed germ was prepared and compared with date seed in terms of antioxidant properties (Scavenging activity to DPPH radical, Total phenol determination), fiber, proteins, fats, and mineral salts. Results: The results showed an increase in antioxidant properties (Scavenging activity to DPPH radical, Total phenol determination), amount of fiber, protein, fat and minerals in date seed germ compared to date seed powder. Conclusion: Therefore, both date seed powder and date seed germ can be used in food formulation as functional foods.