Evaluation of the Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Different Seed and Nut Cakes from the Edible Oil Industry

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this work was to extract water‐soluble compounds from different seed and nut cakes under the same conditions and compare the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the cake extracts. Seed cakes of sunflower, pumpkin, flaxseed and defatted sesame, and nut cakes of almond, pecan, macadamia and hazelnut were used in the experiments. Extracts were obtained by solid–liquid extraction with a water/ethanol solution (20:80, v/v). Total phenolic content, flavonoids, flavan‐3‐ols and condensed tannins in the extracts were determined using spectrophotometric analysis. Antioxidant properties of the extracts were determined by the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging methods, and by determination of the reducing power and chelating activity. The extract from pecan nut cake presented the highest amounts of all compounds analyzed, followed by sunflower seed and hazelnut cake extracts. These samples also had the highest effects on the ABTS and DPPH radicals, as well as the uppermost reducing powers. The extracts from pecan nut and sunflower and sesame seeds were analyzed using HPLC and individual phenolics were further characterized.