Chapter 5 - Olive, apple, and grape pomaces with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivities for functional foods

Abstract

The well-established health benefits of fruits, vegetables, and their food products, have increased dramatically their demand, which however has led to a subsequent increase in processing byproducts. During agriculture processing for producing such plant-derived foods, oils, and beverages, huge amounts of byproducts are obtained, which usually are treated as wastes with costly waste management, while some of them are also used as animal feeds and/or fertilizers. Recent research has shown that considerable amounts of valuable bioactive compounds usually remain within these byproducts, and thus instead of disposing them as part of the food wastes, their extraction, recovery, and valorization can provide another source of functional ingredients for the development of novel products with improved health benefits. Within this chapter, characteristic examples of such functional byproducts are thoroughly reviewed, such as the olive pomace, apple pomace, and grape pomace, which are derived from processing during the production of olive oil, wine, and apple juice, cider, and vinegar, respectively. The composition, nutritional value, and health benefits of these pomaces and of their valuable compounds are also outlined, such as several bioactive lipids, phenolics, fiber, and other valuable compounds with potent antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antithrombotic properties. Specific paradigms are also given for the valorization of these pomaces and of their bioactive in the industrial setting for the production of functional foods and nutraceuticals, or even as health-promoting natural pharmaceutical ingredients or biofunctional ingredients for the production of innovative enriched foods against the risk for several chronic diseases, and especially against inflammation-related disorders. Emphasis is also given to the overall health benefits of the functional end products with similar or even improved sensory characteristics and high acceptance by the consumers.