Chemical Composition, Total Phenols and Flavonoids Contents and Antioxidant Activity as Nutritive Potential of Roasted Hazelnut Skins (<i>Corylus avellana</i> L.)

Abstract

The present study evaluates natural composition of Serbian roasted hazelnut skins (HS) with potential role in application as functional nutrient of various food products. Total phenols (TPC) and flavonoids contents (TFC) in HS extracts obtained with different ethanol concentrations (10%—I, 50%—II and 96%—III) and their antioxidant activities were investigated. The highest total phenols content (706.0 ± 9.7 mgGAE/gextract) was observed in 96% ethanol HS extract. Ethanol HS extracts showed very high antioxidant activity with effective concentrations (EC50) ranged between 0.052 and 0.066 mg/mL. The phenol and flavonoid content of roasted HS extracts I–III was determined by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analyses. Contents of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, metals, and C, H, N, S elements in roasted HS were also determined. Relatively high C/N, C/P and C/N/P ratios, rich metal contents and fatty acids composition indicated that hazelnut skin might be a good candidate for use as either human or fungal functional nutrient. In addition, possible application of phenolic HS extracts as UV booster was studied by recording UV spectra (220–440 nm) of 10 mg/L of HS extracts I–III combined with 10 mg/L of chemical sunscreen agent benzophenone-3 and in vitro sun protection factor (SPF) was calculated.

Keywords

• hazelnut skins
• phenols and flavonoids content
• DPPH-scavenging effect
• antioxidant activity
• lipids
• proteins