The date palm (phoenix dactylifera) is the major fruit tree in the Persian Gulf region including south, southeast and eastern parts of Iran. Date fruit seeds (pits) comprise 6-12% of total weight in Tamr stage (completely ripe date fruit), depending on variety and quality grade. The seeds become available in concentrated quantities when pitted dates are produced in packing plants or in industrial date processing plants based on juice extraction and considered as a waste stream. Finding a way(s) to make value added products and increase the utilization of date seeds other than pulverized date seeds which are being used traditionally on small scale in animal feed, would be beneficial to both date farmers and processors. The presence of large quantities of fiber and substantial amount of tannins, resistant starch, anabolic agents as well as selenium in date seeds are being recently approved by several investigators, suggest that may have health benefit and it is possible to be evaluated as an excellent source of functional foods components. Approximate analysis of date seeds as well as the latest finding on the bioactive constituents with antimicrobial, antioxidant and other health promoting activities will be discussed in detail.

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