Potato peels as sources of functional compounds for the food industry: A review

Background: Potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) is the most important vegetable crop, with a global production of around 368 million tonnes and more than 5000 known varieties. Tubers are the edible part of the plant, which can be eaten in various forms e.g. boiled, cooked, fried, crisped, etc. Processing of raw tubers usually involves peeling that generates a great amount of bulky waste which is usually discarded or used as animal feed. Scope and approach: The present review aims at deeply discussing the current knowledge on the nutritional value, chemical composition and potentially related bioactivities of potato peels. Moreover, an overview on the reutilization of this bio-residue by the food industry is presented, by discussing the reported applications/incorporations into different food matrices, along with the potential technological properties. Key findings and conclusions: Considering the nutritional value and chemical composition of potato peels, along with the bioactivity and technological properties of their extracts, the sustainable valorization of potato processing by-products presents great interest for the food and pharmaceutical industries that could increase the overall added value and minimize the environmental impact of this food crop.