The Potential of Plum Seed Residue: Unraveling the Effect of Processing on Phytochemical Composition and Bioactive Properties

Abstract

Bioactive compounds extracted from plum seeds were identified and quantified, aiming to establish how the brandy manufacturing process affects the properties and possible cascade valorization of seed residues. Extraction with n-hexane using Soxhlet has provided oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids (92.24–92.51%), mainly oleic acid (72–75.56%), which is characterized by its heart-healthy properties. The fat extracts also contain tocopherols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. All the ethanol–water extracts of the defatted seeds contain neochlorogenic acid (90–368 µg·g−1), chlorogenic acid (36.1–117 µg·g−1), and protocatechuate (31.8–100 µg·g−1) that have an impact on bioactive properties such as antimicrobial and antioxidant. Anti-amyloidogenic activity (25 mg·mL−1) was observed in the after both fermentation and distillation extract, which may be related to high levels of caffeic acid (64 ± 10 µg·g−1). The principal component analysis showed that all plum seed oils could have potential applications in the food industry as edible oils or in the cosmetic industry as an active ingredient in anti-aging and anti-stain cosmetics, among others. Furthermore, defatted seeds, after both fermentation and distillation, showed the greatest applicability in the food and nutraceutical industry as a food supplement or as an additive in the design of active packaging.