Fruit Waste Fermentation Faces Safety and Scale-Up Tests Before Commercial Use, Review Finds

Discarded fruit peels, seeds, and cosmetically rejected fruit could potentially be upcycled into food ingredients through fermentation, according to a review published in Current Research in Food Science. However, the commercial production of these fermented food ingredients faces safety and scale-up tests. While fermenting fruit residues can enhance nutritional value and improve shelf life, the performance of microbial strains varies widely, requiring specific testing for each fruit residue used. Additionally, health positioning and supply chain logistics present challenges for commercial viability.

The European Union produces over 58 million tonnes of food waste annually, with fruit waste contributing significantly. Recovering rejected fruit could prevent a large amount of waste, but the environmental benefits of using fruit waste for fermentation need to be carefully considered due to the associated costs of collection, transport, processing, and waste treatment. The authors also emphasize the need for rigorous safety testing and scale-up studies before fermented fruit waste ingredients can be successfully commercialized.