The Emerging Australian Date Palm Industry: Date Fruit Nutritional and Bioactive Compounds and Valuable Processing By‐Products
2015
Sirisena, Sameera | Ng, Ken | Ajlouni, Said
Date palm is a popular and high‐revenue crop, and the consumption of date fruits is no longer limited to the Middle Eastern countries. Date fruit has gained interest due to its nutritional value and taste, and date seeds have recently been identified as sources of valuable bioactive ingredients. Australia has excellent agronomic conditions for cultivating date palm, and the value of this crop has been identified by the Australian government and private sectors. However, more work needs to be done to raise awareness of this industry among potential investors and researchers in order to develop a sustainable date palm industry in Australia. Several date varieties have been successfully grown at a small scale in Central and Southern Australia. Medjool and Barhee have been among the most recommended varieties due to their high market potential in domestic and international markets. Date seeds have also been recognized as a source of valuable functional ingredients including dietary fiber and natural antioxidants. Date seed extracts have shown very good bioactive properties potentially useful in treating some neurodegenerative diseases, and possibly cancer. The utilization of date seeds, which is an abundant by‐product of date processing, could improve profitability and financial security of this industry. This review discusses the emergence of the date fruit and seed industry in Australia and its associated benefits to farmers and consumers.
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