With the increasing impacts of climate change, establishing more sustainable and robust plants such as desert dates (Balanites aegyptiaca) seems to be necessary. Known for its resilience in arid conditions, this tree has the potential to become a more important food source, particularly for its potential to yield edible oil. This study characterized Balanites kernel oil (BKO) as a promising oil source in arid regions, studying the influence of geographical origin and environmental factors. Moroccan and Sudanese BKO samples were analyzed and compared with Mauritanian BKO. In the fatty acid profile, unsaturated fatty acids constituted over 70% of the BKO profile, with a predominance of linoleic acid (Li), oleic acid (Ol), palmitic acid (Pa), and stearic acid (St). Consequently, the predominant triacylglycerols were PaLiLi, PaLiOl, LiLiOl, OlLiOl, and StLiOl. α-Tocopherol dominated the tocochromanol composition (324 to 607 mg/kg), followed by γ-tocopherol (120 to 226 mg/kg), constituting 90% of the total tocochromanols. The total phytosterol content in BKO ranged from 871 to 2218 mg/kg oil, with β-sitosterol dominating (58% to 74%). Principal Component Analysis revealed that the geographical origin significantly influences BKO composition, emphasizing environmental factors, particularly water deficit and/or temperatures. Notably, Moroccan BKO collected from an area characterized by high aridity and relatively low winter temperatures, showcased a unique profile in fatty acid, phytosterols, and tocochromanols. The valorization of BKO presents an opportunity for local agricultural development in arid regions and a role model for plant development and agricultural practices in other parts of the world.

Argan oil is known wordwide for its nutritional, therapeutic and cosmetic benefits. However, the extraction process produces 40-50% of Argan Press Cake (APC), which is rich in protein, fiber, and minerals. Despite its nutritional potential,the high saponin content of APC imparts a bitter taste and anti-nutritional properties, making it unsuitable for human consumption and often wasted. This study addresses this issue by using boiling treatments with citric acid (CA) and distilled water (DW) to reduce the saponin content, while evaluating the impact on APC quality. In addition , the study explores for the first time, the incorporation of treated argan press cake, APC-CA and APC-DW, at different levels (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) into whole wheat flour (WWF) for bread production to improve the nutritional profile. The results indicate that both treatments significantly reduce saponin content while maintaining nutritional quality comparable to untreated APC. This includes a 50% reduction in phytic acid levels. The absence of tryptophan fluorescence emission was observed in APC-CA, which may be related to chemical degradation or interactions with other molecules. Substitution of APC-CA and APC-DW increased the protein of composite flours in a level-dependent manner. At substitution levels up to 10%, APC-CA and APC-DW positively influenced the technological properties of the bread. This study demonstrates the potential of APC to improve the nutritional value of bread and supports zero-waste initiatives by reusing by-products.

Argan oil is known worldwide for its nutritional, therapeutic, and cosmetic benefits. However, the extraction process produces 40–50% of argan press cake (APC), which is rich in protein, fiber, and minerals. Despite its nutritional potential, the high saponin content of APC imparts a bitter taste and anti-nutritional properties, making it unsuitable for human consumption and often wasted. This study addresses this issue by using boiling treatments with citric acid (CA) and distilled water (DW) to reduce the saponin content while evaluating the impact on APC quality. In addition, this study explores, for the first time, the incorporation of treated argan press cake, APC-CA and APC-DW, at different levels (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) into whole wheat flour (WWF) for bread production to improve the nutritional profile. The results indicate that both treatments significantly reduce saponin content while maintaining nutritional quality comparable to untreated APC. This includes a 50% reduction in phytic acid levels. The absence of tryptophan fluorescence emission was observed in APC-CA, which may be related to chemical degradation or interactions with other molecules. The substitution of APC-CA and APC-DW increased the protein of composite flours in a level-dependent manner. At substitution levels up to 10%, APC-CA and APC-DW positively influenced the technological properties of the bread. This study demonstrates the potential of APC to improve the nutritional value of bread and supports zero-waste initiatives by reusing by-products.

This study focuses on the isolation, characterization, and evaluation of cytotoxicity of triterpenes extracted from argan pulp. The unsaponifiable lipids extracted from argan pulp are separated into five fractions, two of which are triterpene fractions F2 (composed of α-amyrin, β-amyrin, lupeol, ψ-taraxasterol, taraxasterol) and F4 (erythrodiol). The extraction process utilized solvent-based methods followed by purification through column chromatography. Structural elucidation was carried out using GC-MS and NMR techniques. The cytotoxic activity of the fractions was evaluated against HepG2, MCF-7, and HeLa cell lines. Fraction F4 exhibited IC₅₀ values of 45.58, 71.24, and 98.80 µg/mL, respectively, while fraction F2 showed IC₅₀ values of 122.6, 167.8, and 212.7 µg/mL. Annexin V–FITC/PI flow-cytometry analysis was performed on HepG2 cancer cells and THLE-2 non-tumor cells treated with F4. The results showed a concentration-dependent increase in apoptosis in HepG2 cells, with minimal necrosis. To complement the experimental results, computational analyses were performed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic properties. The triterpenes showed favorable drug-like characteristics and low predicted toxicity. Molecular docking revealed strong interactions with key cancer-related targets, including BCL-2, estrogen receptor α, and HPV16 E6.