ABSTRACT
Dried fruits are a concentrated form of fresh fruits, albeit with lower moisture content than that of their fresh counterparts since a large proportion of their moisture content has been removed through sun-drying or through various modern drying techniques. Dried fruits contain both water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins at different levels. Dried fruits have a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, phytoestrogens, and carotenoids, among others, as well as antioxidant activities. Carotenoids, which are fat-soluble bioactives, are plant pigments responsible for bright red, yellow, and orange hues in many fruits and vegetables. The Folin-Ciocalteau reagent assay is a common method used to determine the total phenolic content of dried fruits. Numerous flavan-3-ols have been characterized in dried fruits, except dates. Caffeic acid is found in all dried fruits, except apples, peaches and pears. Protocatechuic acid is found in most dried fruits, except for apples, figs, peaches, and pears.
