Aproveitamento de resíduos do processamento de frutas cítricas e ácidas: uma abordagem bibliográfica

Abstract

The waste generated from citrus and acid fruits processing represents a significant fraction of agro-industrial residues produced globally. The food industry, particularly during the production of juices, pulps, essential oils and other derivatives, is mainly responsible for generating these wastes, which include peels, bagasse, and seeds. It is estimated that more than half of the mass of processed citrus fruits is discarded as by-products. However, these materials are rich sources of high-value compounds such as dietary fibers, essential oils, flavonoids, antioxidants, carotenoids, pectin and other bioactive constituents with well-recognized functional and economic potential. Despite their nutritional and functional richness, these wastes are still largely disposed of in landfills, used for animal feed in an unregulated manner, or destined for composting, practices that do not fully exploit their potential. In this context, there is growing scientific and industrial interest in the valorization of these wastes by integrating them into sustainable production chains through circular economy strategies, biotechnology, and process innovation. Therefore, this review aims to analyze the possibilities for utilizing and recovering citrus and acid fruits processing residues through a bibliographic survey covering the last 25 years.. The databases Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar and Periódicos Capes were used, with the application of specific keywords and thematic and temporal filters. The search resulted in 100 relevant articles, which were analyzed and organized using platform-specific tools, allowing the categorization of the main topics addressed. The main forms of reuse identified include animal feed, incorporation into food products for human consumption, extraction of bioactive compounds, energy generation, and use as raw material for dyes, paints and bioplastics. The results highlighted the promising potential of these residues as raw materials for the development of new sustainable products.