Freshly squeezed chemists

With millions of tonnes of fruit juice pressed very year, the citrus processing industry creates a large amount of waste that contains highly bioactive substances and phytochemicals. These include essential oils, ascorbic acid, sugars, carotenoids, flavonoids, dietary fibre, polyphenols, and more. 

A new multi-author paper describes ultrasonic, microwave-assisted, and enzymatic extraction techniques to enable these compounds to be utilised for a wide range of uses, from food preservatives to anti-mutagenic products. 

In addition, some of the toxic extracts could be used as insecticides. The authors make a compelling case that the waste is an overlooked resource that we now have the tools to exploit economically and effectively. 

“Citrus Waste as Source of Bioactive Compounds: Extraction and Utilization in Health and Food Industry, ” http://ms.spr.ly/61211guPsc