Abstract

Ficus carica L. is a native plant to Southwest Asia and widely spread from ancient times in the Mediterranean region. Its fruits (figs) and leaves present important nutritional components (vitamins, minerals, sugars, amino acids, etc.) and health-related effects due to their phytochemical composition. Numerous bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds (phenolic acids), flavonoids (flavonols, flavones, and anthocyanins), coumarins, sterols, and volatiles (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, norisoprenoids, ketones, alcohols, esters, etc.), among others, have been isolated from fruits and leaves of F. carica that are the main ingredients used in the production of different alcoholic beverages such as wine, liqueur, and spirit. This chapter aims to review the different chemical and biological characteristics found both in raw materials (fruits and leaves) and in the final product (wine, liqueur, and spirit) that have been consumed and known throughout human history.

Keywords: antioxidant capacity, biological activities, enzyme inhibitory activity, fig fruit, fig leaf, fig liqueur, fig spirit, fig wine, phenolic content, volatiles

### 1. Ficus carica L. fruits, leaves, and derivatives (wine, spirit, and liqueur)

Ficus carica L. is one of the oldest plants cultivated by humans [1]. It is native to the Southwest Asia and spread worldwide in places with typically mild winters and hot dry summers [2]. Fruits and leaves have been widely used as valuable food for people and as folk medicine due to their therapeutic effects [1, 3]. According to the FAO (2013–2017), most of the world's fig production occurs in the Mediterranean basin. The 10 main world producers include countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Iran, and Syrian Arab Republic. Spain is the only European country included in the list, and the American countries, United States of America and Brazil, are also included [4].

Since ancient times, F. carica has been ever present in different cultures. It was the first tree mentioned in the Bible and the figs the first nourishment of human beings according to the Jewish Talmud. Fig tree was linked to the paradise according to the Islamic culture, and in ancient Greece it was considered a gift from Demeter, the earth mother [5].

Figs and leaves are used in their primary and processed form to produce different traditional and industrial products (infusions, jams, wines, spirits, liqueurs, etc.). The fig is a very perishable product, and for this reason it is mainly utilized as dried fruit [6]. Either way, dry or fresh figs are well known for their nutritive value due to the high contents in minerals (mainly calcium and others like copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, etc.), fats (source of energy), sugars, and other non-nutritive components such as water, fiber, and antioxidants like phenolic compounds [1, 6, 7]. On the other hand, infusions, decoctions, or other preparations

of fig leaves have been traditionally used in the treatment of different diseases due to the therapeutic effects associated with its chemical composition [8]. For all the aforementioned, F. carica has been included in occidental pharmacopeias (such as the Spanish and British pharmacopeias) and in therapeutic guides of herbal medicine (including the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) for herbal medicine) [9]. The study of the extraction of phytochemicals from plants and the use of these compounds as additives has been of great importance as an efficient and safe way to add supplements in foods, to produce what is known as nutraceutical and functional food (food with a relevant effect on health or reduction in disease risk) [10]. More recently, the main objective of F. carica phytochemicals extraction has been based not only on finding the best extraction conditions but also the use of green extraction methods such as ionic liquids or deep eutectic solvents, environmentally friendly and sustainable for sample preparation [8]. Despite all the properties and uses found in raw materials, the scarce amount of works related to the chemical composition and biological activities of alcoholic products derived from fig fruits and leaves, specifically, wine [11–13], spirits [14–17], and liqueurs is worth mentioning [18, 19]. Furthermore, despite the mentioned characteristics of the leaves and the great tradition in using this part of the plant in the production of liqueurs [20], this is not reflected in the works cited. An outline of the process followed in the production of these beverages from the raw materials of F. carica to the final product can be seen in Figure 1. In all these products, the biotechnological step of alcoholic fermentation is required to transform the sugars present in the fruit into alcohol and produce the value-added corresponding alcoholic beverages of commercial importance. The use of yeasts (endogenous or exogenous) and controlled conditions (pH, temperature, etc.) is necessary to obtain a high-quality final product. In addition, during this fermentation process, and other processes taking place such as maceration and maturation of the beverage, new chemical compounds are

Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Ficus carica L. Fruits, Leaves...

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86660

produced that will contribute to the final profile of the beverages [21, 22].

2. Phytochemical composition of fig fruit, leaf, and the alcoholic

products will be addressed in more detail.

products, liqueurs, and spirits

pulps and peels [2, 9, 24].

metabolites shown in Figure 2.

2.1 Volatile compounds

117

In the next section, the different chemical compounds (phytochemicals) as well as the biological properties from both F. carica raw materials and alcoholic-derived

Phytochemicals or plant secondary metabolites are non-nutritive plant metabolites which are essential for plant survival and proper growth and reproduction [23]. Many of these components have bioactivities toward animal biochemistry and metabolism with the ability to provide health benefits. F. carica plant owns the highest diversity of compounds with the higher quantities of all classes of compounds (except aldehydes and monoterpenes) mainly in leaves, followed by fruits

Phytochemical studies on raw materials (fruits and leaves) and derived products (wine, liqueur, and spirit) of F. carica revealed the presence of numerous bioactive compounds including volatiles, organic acids, phytosterols, triterpenoids, fatty acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, and few other classes of secondary

Aroma is an important attribute of the sensory appreciation of a product and is usually used as a criterion for its quality assessment. It is a defining element of the

Figure 1. Manufacturing process of Ficus carica L. wine, liqueur, and spirit from raw materials to the final beverage.

#### Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Ficus carica L. Fruits, Leaves... DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86660

of fig leaves have been traditionally used in the treatment of different diseases due to the therapeutic effects associated with its chemical composition [8]. For all the aforementioned, F. carica has been included in occidental pharmacopeias (such as the Spanish and British pharmacopeias) and in therapeutic guides of herbal medicine (including the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) for herbal medicine) [9].

The study of the extraction of phytochemicals from plants and the use of these compounds as additives has been of great importance as an efficient and safe way to add supplements in foods, to produce what is known as nutraceutical and functional food (food with a relevant effect on health or reduction in disease risk) [10]. More recently, the main objective of F. carica phytochemicals extraction has been based not only on finding the best extraction conditions but also the use of green extraction methods such as ionic liquids or deep eutectic solvents, environmentally friendly and sustainable for sample preparation [8]. Despite all the properties and uses found in raw materials, the scarce amount of works related to the chemical composition and biological activities of alcoholic products derived from fig fruits and leaves, specifically, wine [11–13], spirits [14–17], and liqueurs is worth mentioning [18, 19]. Furthermore, despite the mentioned characteristics of the leaves and the great tradition in using this part of the plant in the production of liqueurs [20], this is not reflected in the works cited. An outline of the process followed in the production of these beverages from the raw materials of F. carica to the final product can be seen in Figure 1. In all these products, the biotechnological step of alcoholic fermentation is required to transform the sugars present in the fruit into alcohol and produce the value-added corresponding alcoholic beverages of commercial importance. The use of yeasts (endogenous or exogenous) and controlled conditions (pH, temperature, etc.) is necessary to obtain a high-quality final product. In addition, during this fermentation process, and other processes taking place such as maceration and maturation of the beverage, new chemical compounds are produced that will contribute to the final profile of the beverages [21, 22].

In the next section, the different chemical compounds (phytochemicals) as well as the biological properties from both F. carica raw materials and alcoholic-derived products will be addressed in more detail.
