Fruit pomace as a promising source to obtain biocompounds with antibacterial activity

The demand for natural compounds to replace synthetic additives has aroused the interest of different sectors of society, especially the scientific community, due to their safety, biocompatibility, biodegradability and low toxicity. Alternative sources for antimicrobial compounds have been explored, such as fruit pomace. These by-products have essential compounds in their composition with different potential for application in food and packaging. In this context, this review systematizes the use of pomace from different fruits as a source of antibacterial compounds. Also, it summarizes the extraction methods and the applications of these compounds. Grape pomace, cranberry, and apple extracts are the most explored for antibacterial control, especially against genus Listeria, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and Escherichia. In addition, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and proanthocyanins are the main compounds identified in the studied fruit pomace extracts. In the reviewed articles, the biocompounds recovery is performed by methods with the absence of high temperatures (>80 °C); in some studies, the solid-liquid extraction method at mild temperatures (<30 °C) was well explored, using ethanol and water as solvent. The use of fruit processing by-products for bacterial control highlights the possibility of favoring the three pillars of sustainability (social, economic, and environmental) in the food industry.

Fruit waste: a current perspective for the sustainable production of pharmacological, nutraceutical, and bioactive resources

Fruits are crucial components of a balanced diet and a good source of natural antioxidants, that have proven efficacy in various chronic illnesses. Various kinds of waste generated from fruit industries are considered a global concern. By utilizing this fruit waste, the international goal of "zero waste" can be achieved by sustainable utilization of these waste materials as a rich source of secondary metabolites. Moreover, to overcome this waste burden, research have focused on recovering the bioactive compounds from fruit industries and obtaining a new strategy to combat certain chronic diseases. The separation of high-value substances from fruit waste, including phytochemicals, dietary fibers, and polysaccharides which can then be used as functional ingredients for long-term health benefits. Several novel extraction technologies like ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) could provide an alternative approach for successful extraction of the valuable bioactives from the fruit waste for their utilization as nutraceuticals, therapeutics, and value-added products. Most of these waste-derived secondary metabolites comprise polyphenols, which have been reported to have anti-inflammatory, insulin resistance-treating, cardiovascular disease-maintaining, probiotics-enhancing, or even anti-microbial and anti-viral capabilities. This review summarizes the current knowledge of fruit waste by-products in pharmacological, biological, and probiotic applications and highlights several methods for identifying efficacious bioactive compounds from fruit wastes.