Publication:

Antioxidant properties of bioactive compounds in fruit and vegetable waste

In recent years, great interest has arisen in the study of compounds with antioxidant activity present in agri-food residues. The growing demand from consumers for antioxidants of natural origin, the continuous growth in the world population and the consequent increase in the amount of food residues generated have greatly promoted this field of research. The search for new uses and applications for all this waste has become a mandatory objective within the framework of global environmental management. But, in addition, it offers a promising opportunity to study the great diversity of bioactive compounds that exist in nature and to analyze their biological activity and the associated health benefits. Among agri-food waste, fruit and vegetable by-products constitute a truly abundant and affordable source of natural antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds. These antioxidant phytochemicals are of great interest for different economic sectors, such as food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical, the latter having seen an exponential development in recent years.