Abstract
In this study, the effect of fermentation on the oil and bioactive component, pH and acidity values of the brine, antioxidant activity values, phenolic constituents, fatty acid profile and biogenic element quantities of fresh almond kernels fermented in two different brine concentrations (5 and 10%; salt:water/ w:v) were examined. pH and total acidity values of 5 and 10% brines at the end of fermentation were determined as 6.32 and 0.36% and 5.59 and 0.54%, respectively. An opposite relationship was observed between pH and acidity of the brine. Total phenol and flavonoid contents of fresh and fermented almonds varied between 15.90 (5% brine) and 64.23 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g (fresh almond) to 170.43 (5% brine) and 285.29 mg/100 g (fresh almond), respectively. The dominant phenolic constituents of fresh and fermented almonds were catechin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, cinnamic acid and kaempferol. Oleic and linoleic acid quantities of the oils provided from fresh and fermented almond kernels were assigned to be between 63.26 (fresh almond) and 68.84% (5% brine) to 23.10 (5% brine) and 26.83% (fresh almond), respectively. It was observed that almond samples were rich in potassium, followed by P, S, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn and B in decreasing order. Protein contents of fresh and fermented almond samples varied between 21.62 (10% brine) and 27.37% (fresh almond). According to these results, consuming fresh almonds with high phytochemical properties in fermented form will create a different consumption branch of almonds.
