Encapsulation of bioactive compounds from fruit and vegetable by-products for food application - A review

Background: Fruit and vegetable by-products (FVBP) from the food industry and post-harvest represent one of the world's most common environmental pollution problems. However, these wastes are now being recognized for their functional value. Encapsulation is among the most popular food processing alternatives since it helps to improve the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds. Encapsulated products provide excellent health benefits, and therefore can be used as functional ingredients in food. Scope and approach: This review describes the creation of encapsulated bioactive compounds (EBC) using microencapsulation techniques and their application in food. The work aimed to identify the various previously studied bioactive compounds from FVBP related to their extraction, characterization, encapsulation, and application. Encapsulation protects bioactive compounds against the adverse conditions inherent in food processing, and its use allows for functional food to be obtained. Key findings and conclusions: Encapsulation technologies, such as spray-drying, freeze-drying, and coacervation, are those most used to produce EBC from FVBP. The effectiveness of these technologies in producing EBC with high encapsulation efficiency and excellent functional properties has been proven, and the stability and solubility of bioactive compounds were thereby improved. EBC from FVBP were added to food with various purposes, including enrichment, fortification, coloring, and stability improvement against oxidation and microbial proliferation. Several studies regarding the application of EBC from FVBP in food have been performed thus; EBC is a promising alternative in the treatment of agricultural and agro-industrial by-products and one that merits further investigation.

Automated summary

This review discusses the creation of encapsulated bioactive compounds (EBC) from fruit and vegetable by-products (FVBP) using microencapsulation techniques and their application in food. Technologies such as spray-drying, freeze-drying, and coacervation have been proven effective in producing EBC with high encapsulation efficiency and excellent functional properties, improving the stability and solubility of bioactive compounds. Studies on the application of EBC from FVBP in food show promising results, making it a potential alternative for the treatment of agricultural and agro-industrial by-products.