The potential of apricot seed and oil as functional food: Composition, biological properties, health benefits & safety

Apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) belong to the Rosaceae family. The fruit is grown in diverse regions of the world, from Siberia to South Africa and from China and India to Middle Eastern countries. Apricot seeds are a good source of oil with bioactive components such as fatty acid, tocopherols, terpenoids phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant, anti-cancer, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity. Its seed and oil have been medicinally used to mitigate or stop different disorders, including its positive effect on cardiovascular health, attracting more attention from the food and pharmaceutical industry due to its functionality in terms of nutri-tional composition, biological properties, health benefits, and safety. This review has given particular attention to the nutritional composition, biological properties, health benefits, and safety of apricot seeds, kernels, and oil. This review provides new perspectives for potential research directions. The bioactive compounds in apricot seed and oil show promising antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as against fungi. This review highlights the nutritional value of apricot fruit, seed, and oil and describes the po-tential uses of bioactive agents in the fruit, seed, and oil.