Comparative nutraceutical properties of seeds of eight citrus varieties grown in Rawalpindi region

Fruits and vegetables (F and V) are valuable for their micronutrients, but many Fruits and Vegetables in diverse growth areas have not been scientifically validated for these components. The nutraceutical characteristics of the seeds of eight citrus fruits grown in Pakistan (Rawalpindi region) were, therefore, investigated. Expectedly, the seeds of citrus varieties differed in moisture (44.5% to 54.8%), ash (0.97% to 3.13%), crude protein (5.61% to 4.06%), crude fat (20.3% to 15.3%), crude fiber (16.4%to 9.52%) and carbohydrates (17.5% to 10.2%) contents. Potassium, sodium and magnesium were the major minerals, while iron, zinc and manganese were present in minor fractions in the seeds. Phytochemical analysis (total phenolic content, 129 to 99.µpg/g GAE and total flavonoids content, 35.11 to 13.21 µpg/g QE) revealed antioxidant potential that was confirmed by a high 1,1-diphenyl 1-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, showing a highly positive correlation (r2 > 0.832, 0.667 p > 0.05) with the measured antioxidant components (Total Phenolics and Total Flavonoids). The analysis shows a significant relationship between the citrus varieties and their quality parameters to guide their industrial potential as sources of nutraceuticals.