Bioactive compounds of fruit by-products as potential prebiotics

Abstract

Fruit by-products are generated by the food industries and constitute an important environmental problem. Although these fruit residues are frequently treated as industrial waste, and used mainly for animal feed, they might be good sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds such as dietary fibres and phenolics. These bioactives can stimulate the growth and activity, such as B-vitamin production, of beneficial microorganisms especially lactic acid bacteria and probiotics that are live microorganisms that when ingested in adequate amounts may confer a health benefit on the host. Besides, bioactive compounds may be used to improve the nutritional and functional properties of food products. Thus, bioactives from fruit by-products represent potential prebiotic ingredients which are defined as a substrate that can be selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit.