Fruit and Vegetable Waste: Bioactive Compounds, Their Extraction, and Possible Utilization

Abstract

Fruits and vegetables are the most utilized commodities among all horticultural crops. They are consumed raw, minimally processed, as well as processed, due to their nutrients and health-promoting compounds. With the growing population and changing diet habits, the production and processing of horticultural crops, especially fruits and vegetables, have increased very significantly to fulfill the increasing demands. Significant losses and waste in the fresh and processing industries are becoming a serious nutritional, economical, and environmental problem. For example, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that losses and waste in fruits and vegetables are the highest among all types of foods, and may reach up to 60%. The processing operations of fruits and vegetables produce significant wastes of by-products, which constitute about 25% to 30% of a whole commodity group. The waste is composed mainly of seed, skin, rind, and pomace, containing good sources of potentially valuable bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, polyphenols, dietary fibers, vitamins, enzymes, and oils, among others. These phytochemicals can be utilized in different industries including the food industry, for the development of functional or enriched foods, the health industry for medicines and pharmaceuticals, and the textile industry, among others. The use of waste for the production of various crucial bioactive components is an important step toward sustainable development. This review describes the types and nature of the waste that originates from fruits and vegetables, the bioactive components in the waste, their extraction techniques, and the potential utilization of the obtained bioactive compounds.

The effect of different drying techniques on phytochemical content and in vitro antioxidant properties of Australian‐grown prickly pears ( Opuntia ficus indica )

“…Although difficult to compares, the content of the Australian PP compares closely to that of common fruits such as apple (Boyer & Lui, ). More recent investigations rather consider utilization of fruit and vegetable wastes to include food, food products, functional foods or nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic, and bio‐sourced chemical agents (Sagar, Pareek, & Sharma, ). In addition, the dynamic matrix between the fiber content and numerous phenolic‐based bioactive compounds may assist in reducing the risk factors of cardiovascular disease, for example; however, more research is required regarding factors to include; agricultural variability such as sun exposure, ripeness, storage, preparation, and processing; as well as factors of food matrix interactions and bioavailability and activity (Gaine, Balentine, & Erdman, ; Hollman, ; Naumovski, ).…”

“…The observed variations between the fruit colours and com- that of common fruits such as apple (Boyer & Lui, 2004). More recent investigations rather consider utilization of fruit and vegetable wastes to include food, food products, functional foods or nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic, and bio-sourced chemical agents (Sagar, Pareek, & Sharma, 2018 Notes. All values represented as Mean ± SE; DPPH: Free Radical Scavenging Activity (µM TE ); CUPRAC: Cupric Ion Antioxidant Reducing Capacity (µM TE ); FRAP: Antioxidant Capacity by Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (µM TE ); *indicates a statistical significant difference (*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01) when compared to white prickly pear fruit; † indicates a statistical significant difference ( † p < 0.05; † † p < 0.01) between orange and purple prickly pear fruits.…”

Fruit Wastes as Promising Sources of Starch: Extraction, Properties, and Applications

“…These wastes are available mainly in skin, pulp, seed waste, and pomace, representing around 25–30% waste produced from the processing of fruits. Among fruit wastes valorization possibilities, it stands out their use in the production of bio‐polymers, like starch …”

Recovery of phytochemical compounds from natural and blanched green broccoli using non‐isothermal autohydrolysis

“…Since some of these compounds can be lost when the pressurised vessel is opened, they could not be measured. This behaviour is consistent with the extraction yield trends previously reported for other fruit and vegetable materials (Sagar et al ., ). The maximum of solubilisation was displayed around 57% (AHN150) and 55% (AHB150) for natural and blanched dry samples, respectively.…”