Review on Potential Use of Fruit and Vegetables By-Products as A Valuable Source of Natural Food Additives

Abstract

Food processing industry including fruit and vegetable processing is the second largest generator of wastes into the environment only after the household sewage. A huge amount of waste in the form of liquid and solid is produced in the fruit and vegetable processing industries, which contains many reusable substances of high value with large economic potential. The processing of fruits and vegetables results in high amounts of waste materials such as peels, seeds, stones, and unused flesh generated in the different steps of the processing chains. It causes pollution problem if not utilized or disposed-off properly. A disposal of these materials usually represents a problem that is further aggravated by legal restrictions. However, this Waste product, which is thrown into the environment, is rich in valuable compounds. They are novel, natural and economic sources of flavoring, colorants, protein, dietary fiber, antimicrobials and antioxidants, which can be used in the food industry as a source of natural food additives. Thus, new aspects concerning the use of these by-products for further exploitation on the production of food additives or supplements with high nutritional value have gained increasing interest because these are high-value products and their recovery may be economically attractive. The main purpose of this review is to promote the production and processing of fruits and vegetable highlighting the possibility of extracting bioactive compounds from fruit and vegetable wastes and possibility to use them as natural additives for food industry. These all benefits will open up as a scope for future utilization of fruit and vegetable waste for therapeutic and Nutraceuticals purpose.

Keywords: fruit and vegetables, by- product, waste utilization, natural food additives