Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oils of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) Conducted Under Organic Production Conditions

The current study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and antioxidant activities the essential oils derived from the seeds of three local cumin populations that were grown in an oasis environment. The studied cumin was cultivated according to the organic farming principles in a parcel at the oasis of Oukhite, southeast of Morocco in complete randomised complete blocks with three replications. The results revealed that the organically cultivated cumin seeds had a strong, distinctive aroma due to an abundance of essential oil (3.8-5.27 %). The main components in all the studied essential oils were cuminaldehyde (30.42-33.24 %), gamma-terpinen-7-al (20.54-28.36 %), alpha-terpinen-7-al (about 13 %), gamma-terpinene (6,15-12.60 %), beta-cymene (4.19-5.38 %), beta-pinene (3,10-5.36 %) and p-mentha-1,4-dien-7-ol (0.71-0.99 %). The essential oil from the cumin plants that were cultivated at Taaouilite (G(2)) had the highest antioxidant activity, based on the DPPH scavenging ability (IC50= 3.32 mg/mL) and ferric reducing power FRAP (IC50= 17.02 mg/ mL) while cumin essential oil derived from Takacha (G(1)) was the least potent. These results indicate that the essential oils of oasis cultivated cumin seeds are an excellent source of natural antioxidants, that could be used for food preservation and health benefits.