Multifunctional application of food grade extracts from fruit processing industry wastes: A sustainable approach to food and health preservation

For the current food industry, circular economy is the main goal to the reduction of food loss and waste. Fruit processing industries require a solution for the management of by-products, not only to decrease the volume of food waste but also to develop strategies based on the reuse with the purpose to valorise and add economic value. This review summarises information about of the bioactive compounds present in different fruit by-products, together with the different extraction methods, with a focus on their antimicrobial activity against the main pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and application in food formulation. Food industries are nowadays oriented towards the use of environmental friendly additives and preservatives for improving stability and quality of foods. In the present review, the antimicrobial effectiveness of extracts obtained from fruit by-products, against different spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, has been reported in terms of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericide concentration (MBC). The promising results obtained from different studies reported in this review confirm that extracts of fruit by-products, mainly from the peels, possess great antimicrobial potential against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, although the latter have shown greater resistance than the former. Considering the real threat that both pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms have on human health and the economy of all the Countries, this new approach could mitigate these problems. Future studies are nevertheless necessary to test the real safety of these extracts and to develop strategies for scaling-up the industrial applicability of these natural food additives. •About the 15/20 percent of fruit by-products and wastes are produced during processing.•Fruit wastes are a rich source of bioactive compounds reusable in the food chain.•Environmental-friendly extraction methods have been developed for food applications.•Fruit peel extracts have shown effective antibacterial and antifungal activity.•Bioactives from fruit waste could replace chemical preservatives in the food chain.