Industrial relevance of Tamarindus indica L. by-products as source of valuable active metabolites

Martins, Camila Mota; Ferro, Diego Márlon; de Brito, Edy Sousa; Ferreira, Sandra Regina Salvador

Industrial relevance of Tamarindus indica L. by-products as source of valuable active metabolites

2020

Martins, Camila Mota | Ferro, Diego Márlon | de Brito, Edy Sousa | Ferreira, Sandra Regina Salvador

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) pulp is highly consumed due to the appreciable sensorial attributes. However, the fruit processing generates from 50 to 70% of residue, corresponding to peel, fiber, and seeds; a biomass still unexplored and usually discarded in the environment. In this perspective, the present review highlights and summarizes the current literature data about the main bioactive compounds associated to by-products from tamarind processing. Then, to balance the lack of information on these residues, an overview on extraction methods is also presented, linked to the recovery of relevant compounds from these residues and possible applications for the resulting products. Phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and polysaccharides are the main classes of substances from tamarind by-products, which, when processed, are submitted to traditional extraction methods (Soxhlet and maceration). To spread the environmental appeal of these residues as viable biomass, non-traditional extraction methods, still underused for tamarind by-products, are valued. These methods are interesting alternatives to obtain valuable compounds adequate for functional foods, packaging formulations, medicines, and cosmetics.

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