Bioactivities and Applications of Fruit Byproducts and Their Phytochemicals: A Mini Review

The growing demand for essential nutrients provided by fruits has led to an increase in processed fruit products. However, this processing generates a significant amount of byproducts. Due to a lack of awareness about their nutritional and health benefits, these byproducts are often treated as waste, negatively impacting the environment. To address this, this review focuses on the potential health effects and industrial reusability of these byproducts and their bioactive compounds from commonly consumed fruits in the United States including apples, bananas, citrus, and watermelon. The reviewed studies showed that these by-products, including peels, seeds, pomace, skin, and rinds, are rich sources of bioactive compounds at higher concentrations than the fruit flesh, offering potential health benefits including antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, immunomodulatory, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Incorporation of these byproducts in foods improved their physicochemical and nutrition properties as they are rich in dietary fiber and polyphenols. While many studies show promising results in vitro and in animal models, further research is needed to understand their effectiveness in humans and their potential for sustainable food innovation.