Physicochemical Properties of Berry Seeds Recovered from Pomace and Their Potential Applications in Food and Cosmetic Industries

The analysis of the physical and chemical properties of blackcurrant (<i>Ribes nigrum</i> L.), strawberry (<i>Fragaria ananassa</i> Duchesne ex Weston) and raspberry (<i>Rubus idaeus</i> L.) seeds recovered from pomace-food processing waste-was carried out. The weight of the one thousand seeds, their dry weight, swelling properties, and color in the CIE L*a*b* space, as well as the percentage of basic chemical components, i.e., protein, carbohydrate (including total dietary fiber, insoluble fiber, and soluble dietary fiber), fat, and ash were determined. Polyphenols content and antioxidant activity was determined. In addition, the amounts of individual phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and amino acids, as well as macro and micro-nutrients, were identified and analyzed. The potential usefulness of raspberry seeds as a rheology modifier of cosmetics and food products was estimated due to the high content of mucilage and swelling index similar to linseed and a favorable color with a high value of the b* parameter (22.1) corresponding to yellow color simultaneously with high luminescence (L* = 59.4). Oils obtained from all tested seeds are potentially useful in cosmetic preparations due to the high content of n-6 acids (50.4-71.5%), and oils from strawberry and raspberry seeds as a result of containing n-3 acids, respectively; 30.5-32.3% may be beneficial for dietary supplementation. In addition, the dietary values of the tested seeds are emphasized by the high content of dietary fiber (53.1-63.1%), antioxidant properties (the highest for blackcurrant) and the presence of phenolic compounds such as procyanidin derivatives, catechins (raspberry), quercetins and kaempferols (blackcurrant), and pelargonidin (strawberry).