Comparison of the bioactive properties of dried apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) by different methods

COMPARISON OF THE BIOACTIVE PROPERTIES OF DRIED APRICOT (Prunus Armeniaca L.) BY DIFFERENT METHODS Fatma YILMAZ M.Sc., Department of Food Engineering Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aysun ŞENER GEDÜK September 2022, 64 pages In this study, bioactive properties of dried apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) such as total phenol content, total antioxidant amount, inhibition effect on α-glucosidase and α-amylase, which are key in diabetes and antibacterial activity were investigated. The total phenol content of dried fruit extracts obtained by using methanol, ethanol and hexane varied between 0.09 – 0.02 mg/ml equivalent to gallic acid, while the total phenol content of sulphurous dried apricot fruit extracts varied between 0.04-0.02 mg/ml equivalent to gallic acid. The highest total phenol content was found in the methanolic extract of both fruits. According to the DPPH method, the antioxidant capacity of sun-dried fruit extracts varied between 1.10-0.23 mM TE/ml extract, while the sulphurous dried apricot fruit extracts ranged between 1.20-0.22 mM TE/ml. In the FRAP method, the reducing power capacity ranged between 1.37-0.05 mM TE/ml extract in dried fruit and 1.40-0.03 mM TE/ml in sulphurous apricot fruit. While α-glucosidase inhibition differed between 2.20-1.54 g/mL in terms of IC50 in dried fruit extract, it was observed between 2.52-1.26 g/ml in sulphurous dried apricot fruit extract. On the other hand, α-amylase inhibition varied between IC50: 0.074-0.064 g/mL in sun-dried fruit extract, and IC50: 0.084-0.066 g/mL in sulphurous dried apricot fruit extract. The most effective methanol extract was found in both fruits in inhibiting α-glucosidase and α-amylase, and the extract obtained with hexane could not inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes. While the extract with methanol and ethanol in sun dried fruit showed antibacterial effect at levels of 4.3±0.12 mm and 5.2±0.08 mm against Escherichia coli, respectively, it was 2.4±0.16 mm and 3.5±0.29 mm against Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. Extracts of sulphurous dried apricot fruit with methanol and ethanol showed antibacterial activity at levels of 3.2 ± 0.08 mm and 3.8 ± 0.08 mm against E. coli, respectively, and 1.5 ± 0.08 mm and 2.5 ± 0.12 mm against S. aureus, respectively. Keywords: Sun dried apricots and sulphurous dried apricots, antioxidant activity, total phenol, inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, antibacterial activity