Pomegranate seed extract in the food industry: bioactive profile and rationale for use
Authors:
Tatyana F. Kiseleva, Maria A. Leitan, Alexander S. Markov, Valentina A. Pomozova, Irina Yu. Sergeeva
Abstract:
In recent years, there has been a steady increase in interest in plant-based bioactive compounds, driven by their widespread use in the food industry. Pomegranate seeds (Punica granatum L.) are a valuable secondary raw material obtained during fruit processing, but their potential as a source of functional ingredients remains underutilized. The purpose of this study is to analyze experimental data on the chemical composition of the lipid fraction of pomegranate seeds, assess the content of fatty acids, tocopherols, and sterols, and determine the potential for using pomegranate seed oil in food processing. The methodology was based on lipid extraction with hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus, followed by compositional analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The authors presented the composition of the lipid fraction of pomegranate seeds. The oil yield was found to be 20.21%, which is consistent with published data. The main value of the lipids is due to polyunsaturated fatty acids (63.5% of the lipid mass), among which are identified isomers of punicic acid: α-linolenic acid (38.61%), γ-linolenic acid (24.74%), and β-eleostearic acid (9.28%). Due to thermal isomerization, punicic acid was not detected in the extract. The oil is rich in tocopherols and sterols (β-phytosterol – 0.17%), which ensures its oxidative stability and antioxidant properties. Among the sterols identified were β-phytosterol (0.17%), campesterol (0.01%), and stigmasta-5,22-dien-3-ol (0.01%). The obtained results substantiate the development of technological solutions for the use of pomegranate seed oil in the production of functional foods, including emulsified beverages and sauces.
Keywords:
pomegranate seed oil; fatty acids; punicic acid; tocopherols; functional ingredients; extraction; biologically active compounds
For citation:
Kiseleva T.F., Leitan M.A., Markov A.S., Pomozova V.A., Sergeeva I.Yu. Pomegranate seed extract in the food industry: bioactive profile and rationale for use. Индустрия питания|Food Industry. 2026. Vol. 11, No. 3. Pp. 72–78. DOI: 10.29141/2500-1922-2026-11-3-7. EDN: TBQBGJ.
