Rehman, Najeeb Ur; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Hussain, Hidayat; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products University of Nizwa P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616 Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Al-Broumi, Mohammed Abdullah; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Khiat, Mohammed; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Csuk, René; Martin-Luther Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Organische Chemie, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 2, D-06120 Halle, Germany, Al-Rawahi, Ahmed; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Khan, Abdul Latif; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Mabood, Fazal; Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Green, Ivan R; Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, P/Bag X1 Matieland 7602, South Africa, Al-Harrasi, Ahmed; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Rehman, Najeeb Ur; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Hussain, Hidayat; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products University of Nizwa P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616 Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Al-Broumi, Mohammed Abdullah; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Khiat, Mohammed; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Csuk, René; Martin-Luther Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Organische Chemie, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 2, D-06120 Halle, Germany, Al-Rawahi, Ahmed; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Khan, Abdul Latif; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Mabood, Fazal; Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Green, Ivan R; Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, P/Bag X1 Matieland 7602, South Africa, and Al-Harrasi, Ahmed; UoN Chair of Oman’s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, P.O Box 33, Postal Code 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds (pits) account for ca. 10% of the date fruit and it is the date pits that present a major problem to the date palm industry in the USA as a waste product. Currently date pits are employed as a food source for animals and poultry, as a soil fertilizer and also as a road base gravel In order to understand the varietal effects of Omani date seeds on the nutritional properties of dates and to explore the use of this waste product from the food industry, twenty two native date seeds (Phoenix dactylifera L.) including the varieties; Qushbu Narenjahn, Fardh, Naghal, Manhi, Qush Balquan, Helali Oman, Khasab, Seedi, Qush Jabrin, Khalas, Qush Basrah, Qushbu Maan, Handal, Khunaizi, Qush Mamoor, Barshi, Barni, Azad, Zabad, Qush Tabak, Qush LuLu, and Halali Alhasa were collected from six regions of the Sultanate of Oman and were examined for their nutritional value, antioxidant and urease properties. Energy values, dry matter, and carbohydrate level were the predominant components examined in the date seeds , followed by fiber, moisture, along with small amounts of ash, protein, and fat. The results of the 22 varieties of date seeds showed a significant energy value of between 283.0 to 407.9 kcal/100g, dry matter of between 93.3%-96.3%, carbohydrate content of between 43.8%-80.6%, moisture in the range of 4.3%-6.6%), fat in the range of 5.0%-10.9%, ash content of between 0.73%-1.08%, protein content of 0.2%-6.9% and fiber content of between 5.0%-32.5%. Furthermore the antioxidant potential ranged between 7.4 - 88.3% depending upon the type of date seeds and location of samples. In this regard the Handal date seeds collected from Al-Hamra showed the highest antioxidant potential with 88.3% inhibition. Similarly urease inhibition ranged from 0.94-70.3% and Qush Tabak date seeds collected from Al-Hamra demonstrated the highest urease potential with 70.3% inhibition. It is noteworthy that Qush Basrah, Seedi, Qush Balquan, and Handal date seeds h