PRELIMINARY BIOLOGICAL AND SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF BY-PRODUCTS EXTRACTS OF RED AND BLACK PISTACIA LENTISCUS BERRIES

Pistacia lentiscus L. is an evergreen shrub of the Anacardiaceae family. This dioecious species can reach 3 m height and grows in arid areas. It typifies the Mediterranean region and it is widely distributed in Campania Region in the South of Italy. Fruits of P. lentiscus give an edible oil, rich in unsaturated fatty acids as oleic and linoleic, used to treat diabetes, gastric ulcers, asthma and as anti-diarrhea and anti-inflammatory agent [1]. The use of a cold pressing oil extraction process ensures a high-quality product and, on the other hand, preserve from the inactivation the possible useful biomolecules, especially phenolic compounds, in the waste rich in a great variety of lipophilic and hydrophilic phytochemicals, especially polyphenols. As reported in many studies, phenolic compounds show beneficial effects on human health. Because of their biological properties, the reuse of the recovered bioactive molecules represents a sustainable alternative of food wastes exploitation as functional ingredients in food industry or other related sectors (e.g. pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and health-care products) and at the same time contributing to an efficient waste reduction. The aim of the present study was the recovery of the polar extracts from P. lentiscus L. waste, obtained from red and black berries harvested in two different ripening time, and their characterization using ATR-FTIR spectrometer that allows to evaluate the difference of chemical composition of extracts. Moreover, preliminary results of biological assay are reported.