Phytochemicals in avocado peel and their potential uses

A large amount of avocado is produced every year, and processing of avocado results in the production of large quantities of peel, which is usually disposed as waste without any further application. Avocado peel is a rich source of diverse phytochemicals known as health-promoting compounds, and these compounds can be used to produce high economic value products. However, the amount and composition of phenolic compounds vary regarding different factors, such as level of ripening and maturation, growing conditions and the country of origin. Phenolics within avocado peel have been reported to exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, and associated with extensive health benefits. Thus, it is of great importance to recover these compounds from the peel for usage in food and health industries. This review focuses on the phytochemical compounds together with main factors influencing their types and amounts in avocado peel, and the possible utilisation of this by-product in the food, pharmaceutical and some other industri