Valorization of Pineapple By-Products for Bioactive Compound Extraction
Summary
Global pineapple processing generates vast quantities of by-products, including peels, cores, crowns and stems, which together account for more than half the fruit mass. Far from being mere waste, these residues are rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, proteolytic enzymes (notably bromelain), vitamins and dietary fibres. Advances in extraction technologies—ranging from green solvents and solid–liquid extraction to emerging approaches such as ultrasound-assisted and supercritical fluid extraction—are enabling efficient recovery of these valuable molecules under mild conditions. The resulting extracts exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and nutraceutical properties. Concurrent developments in downstream processing, such as spray drying and microencapsulation, ensure the stabilisation and controlled release of bioactives for incorporation into functional foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics and active packaging. This integrated valorisation framework not only adds economic value to pineapple supply chains, but also contributes to circular bioeconomy goals by reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainable resource use.
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Valorization of Pineapple By-Products for Bioactive Compound Extraction publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in valorization of pineapple by-products for bioactive compound extraction across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bromelain: A mixture of proteolytic enzymes extracted from pineapple stems and cores.
Phenolic compounds: Secondary plant metabolites containing one or more hydroxylated aromatic rings, noted for antioxidant activity.
Antioxidant capacity: A measure of a substance’s ability to neutralise reactive oxygen species.
Solid–liquid extraction: A technique to separate soluble compounds from a solid matrix using a liquid solvent.
Spray drying: A process for converting liquid extracts into dry powders via rapid atomisation and controlled drying.
Encapsulation: The entrapment of bioactive compounds within a carrier matrix to enhance stability and control release.
References
- Valorization applications of pineapple and papaya byproducts in food industry. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (2024).
- Characterization of dried pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) peel powder and its application as a novel functional food ingredient in cracker product. Future Foods (2024).
- Optimization of Natural Antioxidants Extraction from Pineapple Peel and Their Stabilization by Spray Drying. Foods (2021).
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