Agro-industrial wastes as sources of bioactive compounds for food and fermentation industries

ABSTRACT: Agro-industrial wastes are of great interest because they are important natural sources of bioactive compounds and can generate value-added byproducts. Recent studies have shown that byproducts generated by the food processing industry are rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, organic acids, and carotenoids, among others. The growing interest in replacing synthetic antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds with natural ones has stimulated a search for these bioactive compounds from plant sources, especially from fruit-processing wastes. The study aims to project the agro-industrial wastes as potential natural sources of antioxidants and antimicrobials and the feasible technological applications in food and fermentation industries, especially the bioethanol industry.