Review on conversion of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) waste for making value added polymers

In recent years, research has focused on developing polymers from agricultural waste, and jackfruit waste has been identified as a potential source. The utilization of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) waste for making value-added polymers is an innovative approach to reduce environmental pollution and create a sustainable environment. The edible part of jackfruit consists of only 40% of the whole fruit while other 60% goes to waste as non-edible part of the fruit. Jackfruit waste in mainly distributed into three parts which are seed, peel and latex respectively. Jackfruit waste is a significant source of cellulose and starch, which can be converted into various high-value products through different chemical and biochemical processes. The resulting value-added polymers have numerous applications in various fields, including packaging, textiles, and biomedical engineering. They exhibit good mechanical properties, thermal stability, and biodegradability, making them a promising alternative to conventional petroleum-based polymers. Considering the large volume of jackfruit production (> 500,000 metric tons pa in six countries), this waste can become feedstock for making new polymeric materials. Circular economy practices along with environmental protection are the need of modern world. This review covers the characterization of different parts of jackfruit waste and its utilization in making lightweight polymer composites.