Apricot Seeds as a Sustainable Source of Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds with Health-Relevant Properties

In addition to widely consumed dietary seeds, interest has been increasingly directed towards underutilised seeds, such as apricot kernels. These contain both beneficial nutrients and harmful compounds, such as amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside with still-debated effects. The aim of this study was to determine the proximate composition, antioxidant activity, and amygdalin content in apricot seeds of various origins. HPLC analyses were conducted to determine amygdalin content, together with the chemical composition (AOAC), antioxidant activity (ABTS), and the total polyphenols content of these seeds (Folin–Ciocalteu reagent). The apricot seed samples demonstrated considerable variability in their composition, revealing generally high levels of protein, fat, ash, carbohydrates, total polyphenols, and antioxidants. The amygdalin content was determined at the level of 89.1 mg/100 g in apricot seeds from Armenia compared to 879.6 mg/100 g in apricot seeds purchased at retail in Poland. In the tested apricot seeds, the highest content of polyphenols, the highest antioxidant activity, and, concurrently, the lowest content of amygdalin were found in apricot seeds from Armenia. Apricot seeds, especially those that originated from Armenia, might be a future sustainable source of crucial nutrients, characterised by satisfactory antioxidative properties and a low content of potentially toxic amygdalin.