| Abstract |
Background: Food wastes and by-products gained global focus due to rising amounts prompting pollution concerns, regardless of the country's development. Circular economy offers a sustainable solution, aiming to prevent, reuse, and recover resources for creating new, health -beneficial products. Scope and approach: The paper highlights the underexplored potential of anthocyanins found in the eggplant peel, a topic that has received less attention compared to the pulp. Considering the economic and technological relevance of anthocyanins, this paper reviews the ways through which these compounds can be valorized and emphasizes their potential for food industry applications and, implicitly, waste minimization. The review compiles existing data related to eggplant peel as a source of anthocyanins and reviews various methods for their extraction and encapsulation. Additionally, it touches on incorporating the capsules into diverse food matrices, considering the challenges they impose and regulatory aspects. Key findings and conclusions: Eggplant peel anthocyanins can effectively serve as a natural substitute for artificial preservatives and colorants in the food industry. Through encapsulation, fortified food products with improved attributes that could positively impact human health and aid in waste management can be delivered. Nevertheless, additional research is essential to explore more detailed their application and health -promoting benefits. |
