Fruit Wastes as Promising Sources of Starch

Global starch sustainability requires looking away from traditional starch sources to unconventional starch sources, which in turn can open up a range of innovative possibilities. One of such possibilities is to look into fruit waste disposal, which continues to pose a major challenge to the ecosystem, and economic losses, with tons of these wastes generated annually. With increased annual demand of starch across the globe, fruit wastes are fast becoming a potential alternative source of starch, a substitution to conventionally extracted starch from various wholesome food crops like potatoes, corn, wheat, cassava, and sorghum. It has also displayed an ecofriendly method of production as investigated by researchers. Therefore, this chapter delves into the potential of fruit waste as innovative source of starch, exploring the composition and properties of starch present in various fruit wastes like seeds, pulps, and peels of different fruits such as lemons, oranges, apples, pineapples, and banana. The chapter also expatiates on the extraction method, application of the extracted starch, both industrially and in pharmaceutical companies and the environmental advantages of using fruit waste starch which include the reduction of waste disposal, water pollution, and dependence on the traditional sources of starch. In addition, the chapter suggests solutions to the problems associated with large-scale uses of fruit waste starch, including challenges of quality, consumer utilization, and consistency. The general overview of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive review on the overlooked potential of fruit wastes as a significant source of sugar production, providing a substantial state of knowledge on the alternative utilization of fruit waste starch, identifying means for future research and application, thereby providing innovative methods for reducing environmental pollution caused by fruit waste disposal. Continuing research and development are required to foster novel means of extraction, characterization, and application of fruit waste starch, leading to a better way of waste recycling as using fruit wastes for starch production not only helps in managing agricultural and food processing waste but also offers a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic materials. It is a way to turn what would otherwise be discarded into valuable resources, promoting a biocircular economy.