Antioxidant Content Determination in Ripe Date Fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.): a Scoping Review

Abstract

AbstractRipe date fruits are a rich source of antioxidants. The current scoping review was conducted to identify various characteristics of studies that were carried out to determine antioxidant content in ripe date fruits. The framework established by Arksey and O’Malley was adopted to conduct this scoping review. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was used as a guide during the review process. Relevant studies published in March 2019 or any time before were retrieved from three databases. Study selection was performed based on specific inclusion criteria. The extracted data from selected studies were organized in a charting table, and then analyzed using descriptive statistics. A sum of thirty-one articles were selected and included in the present scoping review. Various characteristics of the selected studies, collected ripe date fruit samples, and extraction solvents, as well as information about determining antioxidant content and the used analytical methods, citation references for procedures, measurement units, and data presentation methods, have been identified and discussed carefully. High inconsistency and variability were observed among the selected studies. The research gaps and future recommendations to promote higher research design consistency and improve research quality in this area of research have been described.