In Morocco, the abundance of low-value varieties in the oases may provide an opportunity to capitalize on this richness to create new nutraceutical food products. In this context, the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of four Moroccan date varieties were analyzed. Our results indicate that the levels of total polyphenols, total flavonoids and total condensed tannins vary, respectively, from 91.86 to 364.35 mg GAE/100 g of dry weight (DW), 46.59 to 111.80 mg QE/100 g DW and 16.10 to 42.03 mg CE/100 g DW during the 2021 harvest season. Furthermore, during the 2022 harvest season, these contents vary, respectively, from 119.13 to 410.39 mg GAE/100 g DW, 59.30 to 110.85 mg QE/100 g DW and 21.93 to 53.95 mg CE/100 g DW. The results of the HPLC-UV-VIS analysis revealed that, in all four varieties, gallic acid was and remained one of the major compounds in the date extracts. In addition, a high antioxidant activity of date extracts was particularly observed in the three tests, namely ferric reducing power (FRAP), ferrous ion chelating capacity (FIC) and the phosphomolybdate test. This richness in phenolic compounds makes low-value dates a source of active ingredient that can replace the synthetic antioxidants used in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The Moroccan date-growing sector is rich in a wide diversity of varieties but faces major challenges, notably the undervaluation of certain varieties intended mainly for animal feed. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the antiglycation activity of four date varieties, including three low-market-value varieties and one high-market-value variety, harvested during two seasons (2021 and 2022). In addition, to improve our knowledge of the antiglycation potential, molecular docking analyses were carried out. The results of the antiglycation activity of the date extracts showed strong activity, particularly for the ‘Khalt Khal’ variety, which showed a 50% inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) of 1.83 mg/mL and 2 mg/mL in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In addition, the molecular docking analysis also showed the possible link between the bioactive compounds identified and their mechanisms of action. Our findings suggest new evidence for the antiglycation properties of the bioactive compounds present in dates. These results suggest the use of these varieties as a source of bioactive molecules or as a food additive. This could make it possible to create medicines or food products with a high commercial value using dates, which could help to treat the complications associated with glycation.