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Plant Science Today (PST)

Review Articles

Early Access

Turning trash into treasure: Valorization of fruit waste for sustainable bioeconomy

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.7760
Submitted
16 February 2025
Published
31-07-2025
Versions

Abstract

The effective utilization of fruit waste offers a significant opportunity to advance sustainable resource management and reduce environmental burdens. This comprehensive overview brings together current research on the diverse applications of fruit by-products, showcasing their potential across various industries. Fruit waste, comprising peels, seeds and pulp, is highly valuable to the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries due to its rich content of bioactive compounds such as vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. In addition to industrial applications, the integration of fruit waste into agricultural practices, such as compost or biofertilizer, improves soil health and enhances crop productivity. These organic amendments reduce dependence on synthetic inputs and promote environmentally responsible farming practices. Beyond agriculture and industry, fruit waste is increasingly explored for its role in sustainable material and energy development.  Notably, its high carbohydrate and cellulose content make it suitable for biofuel production, while its film-forming properties support the creation of biodegradable packaging as a replacement for plastics. Furthermore, processed fruit residues are proving to be effective animal feed components, offering nutritional benefits and lowering feed costs in livestock production. This review stresses the economic and environmental advantages of fruit waste utilization and urges the development of scalable, cost-effective processing technologies to maximize its potential. It underscores the importance of ongoing research and cross-sector collaboration among academia, industry and policymakers to unlock the full value of fruit by-products.  Such efforts are essential to advancing circular economy principles and reducing the environmental impact of food production systems.

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