Screening of phytometabolites in oil from cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) fruit pomace

Physalis is a common weed of the rabi season however large fruited types of P. peruviana L. are cultivated in small pockets in North India for its fresh fruit, although it is still underutilized. In the present study, goldenberry pomace for the production of edible oil was evaluated in view of its nutraceutical potential. Oil was extracted from pomace after processing by solvent extraction method using n-hexane as solvent. Samples were subjected to Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR) where major functional group viz. alkanes, aromatic, phenols, aliphatic, nitro compounds, amines and aliphatic iodo compound, etc. at wavelength of 3737.5 to 3471.9 cm(-1) and (alcohol and phenols) corresponding to delta- tocopherol and stigmasterol, 2923.3 to 2637.0 cm(-1) (alkanes and aldehydes), 1743.1 to 1654.0 cm(-1) (esters, aliphatic and ketone) corresponding to lanosterol, 1463.7 to 1281.0 cm(-1) (methyl and aromatic) corresponding to delta-tocopherol, beta-sitosterol, 1162.6 to 1056.2 cm(-1) (amine and alkyl halide) corresponding to beta-sitosterol, campestrol, 914.4 to 843.2 cm(-1) (carboxylic acids and aromatic) and 721.3 to 592.3 cm(-1) (alkyl halide and aliphatic iodo compound) were identified. Physalis is reported to be a rich source of withanolides and thus, further detailed analysis of the oil samples is required to understand its nutritional and pharmaceutical potential.