Characterization analysis of date fruit pomace: An underutilized waste bioresource rich in dietary fiber and phenolic antioxidants

Date fruit pomace (DFP), an abundant byproduct of the date syrup industry, is currently underutilized. It is either fed to animals or landfilled where it ferments, causing serious environmental issues. Proper waste management through valorization strategies is required to reduce the environmental impact of date waste and foster the transition of the date processing industry towards sustainability. The implementation of valorization strategies requires characterizing the DFP composition. Herein, four DFP samples of Emirati varieties were characterized in terms of compositional and functional properties. The fresh DFPs contained moisture (∼60.0 g/100 g). On a dry matter basis, DFPs contained total dietary fiber (∼45.5 g/100 g), residual sugars (∼35.3 g/100 g), protein (∼10.6 g/100 g), ash (∼4.1 g/100 g), and fat (∼1.3 g/100 g). They were also rich in nutritionally important elements such as potassium (∼145.7 ppm), calcium (∼46 ppm), phosphorus (∼28.7 ppm), and magnesium (∼26.7 ppm). The total phenolic content varied from 170 to 260 mg gallic acid equivalents GAE/100 g, making DFP a good source of antioxidants. Scanning electron microscopy measurements revealed the presence of fibrous bundle-like structures, whose thermal stability was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis, showing the dominance of insoluble over soluble fiber. Higher water- and oil-holding capacities were found for dried desugared pomace. The high fiber, phenolic, and elemental content highlight the high nutritional value of DFP, which can be used as dietary supplement, while its sugar content can be used to produce value-added biochemicals via fermentation. Thus, DFP may represent a valuable bioresource for food and non-food applications.