Anthocyanins from fruit and vegetable waste: biosynthesis, extraction, and gut health benefits

TL;DR

This review explores how anthocyanins from fruit and vegetable waste can be extracted and used to improve gut health and create sustainable food products.

Contribution

The paper uniquely focuses on waste-derived anthocyanins and their microbiome-modulating effects.

Findings

Green extraction techniques improve anthocyanin recovery and sustainability.

Stabilization methods enhance anthocyanin bioavailability and industrial use.

Anthocyanins support gut health and may prevent chronic diseases.

Abstract

Anthocyanins (ANCs), naturally abundant in fruit and vegetable waste, represent a promising class of sustainable functional ingredients with notable gut-related health benefits. This review uniquely focuses on waste-derived anthocyanins and their microbiome-modulating effects, including enhancement of intestinal barrier integrity, prebiotic-like activity, and short-chain fatty acid production. Advances in green extraction and purification techniques such as ultrasound-, microwave-, enzyme-assisted, pulsed electric field, and deep eutectic solvent-based methods have improved recovery efficiency while promoting environmental sustainability. Furthermore, stabilization strategies including acylation, protein/polysaccharide complexation, co-pigmentation, and nano/microencapsulation enhance anthocyanin bioavailability and industrial applicability. By integrating technological innovation with gut health insights, this review highlights emerging opportunities to valorize agro-industrial waste and develop next-generation nutraceutical and functional food systems.

•Anthocyanins recovered from fruit and vegetable processing waste.•Traditional and green extractions influence anthocyanin yield, purity.•Purification, quantification, and stabilization ensure anthocyanin integrity.•Applications include food colorants, functional additives, and nutraceuticals.•Anthocyanins promote gut health and protect against chronic diseases.

Anthocyanins recovered from fruit and vegetable processing waste.

Traditional and green extractions influence anthocyanin yield, purity.

Purification, quantification, and stabilization ensure anthocyanin integrity.

Applications include food colorants, functional additives, and nutraceuticals.

Anthocyanins promote gut health and protect against chronic diseases.

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