Page 59 - FoodFocusThailand No.225 December 2024

STRATEGIC R & D

anti-inflammatory agents. They also In addition, other valuable nutrients in fruit by-products have been identified.
help reduce the risk of various chronic These include amino acids from grape seeds and pomegranate seeds and omega-3
non-communicable diseases. fatty acids from avocado seeds. Extracting these valuable substances not only
Examples of fruit by-products reduces waste from the fruit production process but also adds value to what would
containing flavonoids include banana otherwise be discarded. This is one target of the Sustainable Development Goals
peels, which contain flavonoids such (SDGs).
as kaempferol and quercetin ; pomelo
4
peels, a significant source of naringin ;
5
apple pomace; and lychee by-products Scan QR code for references.
as well.
Carotenoids are pigments that
give yellow to red hues in vegetables
and fruits. They are divided into two More Information Service Info C011
main groups: carotenes and
xanthophylls. A significant property of
carotenoids is their antioxidant
capability, which helps prevent various
diseases and boosts the immune
system. Some carotenoids, like
lycopene and beta-carotene, are used
as natural food colorants and can
extend food shelf life. In addition, they
are also essential precursors in
synthesizing vitamin A, which is vital
for the body. Studies have shown that
carotenoids are commonly found in
fruit by-products, such as mango,
pineapple, jackfruit, guava, banana,
lychee, and tomato pomace, which
contains higher levels of lycopene
than grape peel, olive, and
pomegranate. Additionally, banana
peels are rich in lutein, leading to the
development of healthy drinks like
fermented tea from banana peel. This
tea is produced by fermenting banana
peels with sugar using yeast and acetic
acid bacteria, adding value by-products
and reducing the cost of disposing of
waste. 6
In addition to the bioactive
compounds mentioned above, fruit
by-products also contain nutrients
such as dietary fibers, which are
polysaccharide compounds, including
pectin, lignin, hemicellulose, and
types that are commonly found in
plants, like cellulose. Dietary fibers are
classified into two types based on their
solubility in water: soluble dietary fiber
and insoluble dietary fiber. Research
has shown that mango peels contain
16-28% soluble fiber and 29-50%
insoluble fiber, along with various
health benefits. This has led to the
development of mango peel-fiber
fortified yogurt, which not only
increases fiber content but also acts
as a prebiotic, promoting the growth of
beneficial gut bacteria .
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