Natural conjugated and trans fatty acids in seed oils and phytochemicals in seed extracts issued from three Tunisian pomegranate (Punica granatum. L) cultivars

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the oldest edible fruits widely spread in Mediterranean countries, Iran, India and to some extent in the U.S. (California), China, Japan and Russia (Fadavi et al., 2006). In Tunisia, the cultivation of pomegranate has taken a great development in recent years. The pomegranate is cultivated in all regions with a concentration in the southern oases (Gabes) and the northwest region (Testour). Other production centers are located in the coastal stations (Mars and Gaaliche, 1993). Pomegranate seed as a byproduct of pomegranate processing is about 20% (w/w) of the whole fruit depending on cultivar (Tehranifar et al., 2010). Recently, it has been shown that pomegranate seed could potentially be a good source of nutrients and antioxidants in association with the presence of bioactive compounds, particularly polyphenols. Recent studies showed significant levels of phenolic content in pomegranate seeds (Elfalleh et al., 2011). Moreover, the lipid composition of pomegranate seeds is attracting more attention (Fadavi et al., 2006). Consumers ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 8 (2014) pp. 778-792 http://www.ijcmas.com