Quantification and bioaccessibility of California pistachio bioactives (259.1)

Pistachios ( Pistacia vera L.) contain an array of bioactives including carotenoids, chlorophylls, phenolics, and tocols. The content of these constituents has not been methodically quantified. Our objective was to optimize extraction protocols for lipophilic nutrients and then quantify the content of 20 bioactives (2 phenolic acids, 9 flavonoids, 4 carotenoids, 2 chlorophylls, and 3 tocols) in the skin, nutmeat, and whole nut of California pistachios. The dominant bioactives in whole pistachios are lutein (42.35 µg/g fresh weight), chlorophyll A (142.24), γ‐tocopherol (182.20), flavan‐3‐ols (catechins) (199.18), luteolin (217.89), myricetin (135.18), and cyanidin‐3‐galactose (38.34) in each nutrient class. Most phenolics are present in the skin except luteolin and myricetin, while the lipophilic nutrients are dominantly present in the nutmeat. Digestion with a gastrointestinal mimic employed to approximate the bioaccessibility of pistachio constituents showed <10% of most hydrophilic compounds are released from pistachio matrices, as well as <7% of lutein and γ‐tocopherol. In conclusion, 9 lipophilic and 11 hydrophilic bioactives in California pistachios have been systematically quantified. (Supported by American Pistachio Growers and USDA) Grant Funding Source : Supported by American Pistachio Growers and USDA