Seeds as Potential Sources of Phenolic Compounds and Minerals for the Indian Population
Pravin Kumar Sahu,
Ana Cervera-Mata,
Suryakant Chakradhari,
Khageshwar Singh Patel,
Erick K. Towett,
José J. Quesada-Granados,
Pablo Martín-Ramos,
José A. Rufián-Henares
Affiliations
Pravin Kumar Sahu
School of Studies Environmental Science, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur 492010, India
Ana Cervera-Mata
Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Suryakant Chakradhari
School of Studies Environmental Science, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur 492010, India
Khageshwar Singh Patel
School of Agronomy, Amity University, Baloda-Bazar Road, Raipur 493225, India
Erick K. Towett
World Agroforestry Centre, P.O. Box 30677, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
José J. Quesada-Granados
Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Pablo Martín-Ramos
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, EPS, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte, s/n, 22071 Huesca, Spain
José A. Rufián-Henares
Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Seeds are major sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds for human beings. In this work, the chemical composition and physicochemical properties of 155 Indian seeds (belonging to 49 families) are reported. Moisture and ash were measured with reference protocols from AOAC; total polyphenols and flavonoids were measured with spectrophotometric methods after extraction with organic solvents, and mineral elements were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometry. Total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and mineral contents (Al, Ba, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Rb, S, Sr, Ti, V and Zn) were found to vary in the ranges 182–5000, 110–4465 and 687–7904 mg/100 g (DW), respectively. Noticeably, polyphenol contents higher than 2750 mg/100 g were observed in 18 seeds. In addition, mineral contents >5000 mg/100 g were detected in the seeds from Cuminum cyminum, Foeniculum vulgare, Commiphora wightii, Parkia javanica, Putranjiva roxburghii, Santalum album and Strychnos potatorum. Botanical and taxonomical variations in the proximate characteristics of the examined seeds are also discussed.
