ABSTRACT
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a fruit cultivated under diverse climatic conditions, being an edible fruit with great adaptability and flexibility around the world. Its consumption has been related to health benefits. Pomegranate seeds are an interesting component of this fruit due to their oil content (up to 50 wt.%), which have been distinguished for their pharmaceutical applications and nutraceutical properties. The main fatty acid residue identified in the oil is punicic acid (PuA) (≈ 80%, with respect to the total fatty acid content). 130PuA can exert important bioactivities such as anticancer, hypolipidemic, antidiabetes, antiobesity, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, among others. One of the most potent sources of PuA is pomegranate seed, a byproduct obtained during the industrialization of this fruit. In this sense, one of the strengths in PuA research is the revalorization of this agroindustrial residue for the further recovery of such bioactive fatty acids. On the other hand, new and novel applications for PuA can be developed. Therefore, in the present chapter, it will be fully detailed the research fields on PuA, its application in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries, its different existing sources, its extraction methods, the analytical techniques for its identification, and its nutraceutical benefits in food and human health.
