November 27, 2024 | Food Frontiers |
To explore the potential uses of tropical fruit seeds—by-products of processing fresh and dried fruit products—researchers at BNU-HKBU United International College in China conducted a review. Although these seeds are often discarded or used in low-value applications such as animal feed or fertilizer, they contain nutritional and bioactive components that could support higher-value uses. The review summarizes the major constituents of representative tropical fruit seeds and outlines their functional properties. It also compares different processing techniques and extraction methods used to recover valuable compounds. Potential applications in food processing, preservation, and functional food development are discussed, along with current opportunities and challenges that influence their utilization. The review highlights the need to explore tropical fruit seeds as a resource for the food industry and encourages broader interest from researchers and producers in integrating these by-products into sustainable and value-added applications.
