Effect of sonication process of terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus L.) fruits on antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, fatty acids and tocopherol contents.

The current study investigated the impact of sonication process on antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, total phenolic, total flavonoid, oil contents, fatty acids profile, and tocopherols of terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus) fruits. The highest antioxidant activity (87.32%), total phenolic (251.25 mg/100 g) and flavonoid (3413.72 mg/100 g) contents were observed in terebinth fruits sonicated for 30 min. The oil contents of terebinth increased from 38.93% (control) to 42.60% (sonicated for 15 min) after sonication process. The quercetin and catechin were the chief phenolic compounds in P. terebinthus extracts and their values were increased from 129.09 to 467.28 mg/100 g (quercetin) and from 5.58 to 21.33 mg/100 g (catechin) in fruits sonicated for 30 min. The major fatty acids of terebinth fruit oil were oleic (48.02-49.15%), linoleic (22.28-23.48%) and palmitic (22.10-23.67%) and sonication processes did not affect the quantities of these fatty acids. γ-Tocopherol was the most abundant isomer with the value of 63.95-122.03 mg/100 g in terebinth fruit oil. It could be concluded that pre-sonication for 30 min was more suitable for enhancing the antioxidants and phenolic compounds of P. terebinthus fruit. © Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2020 2020.