Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes) as a Sustainable Source of Plant Proteins, Dietary Fiber and Other Functional Ingredients: Recovery Techniques and Functional Food Applications

TL;DR

Peach palm is a sustainable plant with valuable nutrients and compounds that can be extracted using modern methods for use in functional foods.

Contribution

The paper reviews modern extraction techniques and nutritional potential of peach palm, emphasizing sustainable valorization of underutilized fractions.

Findings

Peach palm fractions contain high protein (40-60%), starch (up to 79%), and unsaturated lipids.

Modern methods like alkaline extraction and supercritical CO2 recover proteins, lipids, and carotenoids effectively.

Peel, seed, and residues remain underexplored due to technological and safety challenges.

Abstract

The current rise in global population and the subsequent demand for food supply to meet the current population has directed the attention of researchers towards sustainable, plant-based sources, particularly underutilized crops. Bactris gasipaes is one such underutilized crop with significant functional food value. During processing, 84% of the total weight of the palm is discarded in the form of waste, or so-called by-products, which are a rich source of bioactive compounds. These compounds can be effectively recovered through modern extraction and valorization techniques. This review critically examines the extraction methods, nutritional profiles, and valorization opportunities of peach palm, highlighting both traditional uses and innovative processing strategies. Recent advances enable the targeted recovery of multiple peach palm fractions, e.g., proteins are commonly extracted using alkaline methods, lipids and carotenoids via green solvents or supercritical CO2, and starch and dietary fiber through hydrothermal or downstream separation processes. Key nutritional findings demonstrate that peach palm fractions offer significant protein content (with isolates reaching 40 to 60%), a favorable starch profile (up to 79%), and abundant unsaturated lipids and carotenoids, making them suitable for gluten-free, protein-enriched, and functional ingredient applications. Previous studies have focused mainly on the edible pulp of peach palm for protein, lipid, and carotenoid extraction, whereas other fractions such as peel, seed, and processing residues remain comparatively underexplored due to technological and safety constraints. This review provides a consolidated and critical overview of recent advances in fractionation and green extraction strategies for multiple value-added streams (proteins, lipids, carotenoids, starch, and dietary fiber), highlighting knowledge gaps and opportunities for sustainable food ingredient development.

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