Cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic in fresh vegetables and vegetable products intended for human consumption in the Republic of Serbia, 2015-2017.

The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) were determined in 455 samples of 27 species of vegetables and 28 different processed vegetables collected during the period from January 2015 to December 2017. Vegetables (n = 387) and vegetable products (n = 68) originated from 31 countries, including Serbia. The samples were analysed by inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Hg and As in the vegetables and vegetable products were compared to the maximum levels set by the European Union and the Serbian legislation. The concentration of mercury was less than the limit of detection in each analysed sample. One or multiple measurable toxic metals (Cd, Pb and/or As) were found in 250 samples (54.9%; n = 455). According to the Regulations which were valid until the end of August 2021, the maximum levels of Cd, Pb and As were exceeded in 19 samples (4.2% of the samples of vegetable and vegetable products; n = 455), i.e. in 13 samples of vegetables: Cd in three, Pb in nine and As in one sample and in 6 samples of vegetables products: Cd in three, Pb in one and As in two samples. Regarding the new EU and Serbian legislation which is valid since September 2021 the maximum levels of Cd and Pb for vegetables and vegetable products were exceeded in 118 samples (25.9% of the samples of vegetable and vegetable products; n = 455), i.e. in 95 samples of vegetables: Cd in 67 and Pb in 28 samples and in 23 samples of vegetable products: Cd in 20 and Pb in 3 samples.

Phototreatment (below 1100 nm) improving quality attributes of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables: A review.

The emerging area of phototreatment technology has shown a significant potential to enhance the quality of fresh-cut fruit and vegetable products (FFVP). This review critically evaluates relevant literatures to address the potential for phototreatment technology (Red, blue, green, ultraviolet and pulsed light) applied to FFVP, outline the key to the success of phototreatment processing, and discuss the corresponding problems for phototreatment processing along with research and development needs. Base on photothermal, photophysical and photochemical process, phototreatment displays a great potential to maintain quality attributes of FFVP. The operating parameters of light, the surface properties and matrix components of the targeted material and the equipment design affect the quality of the fresh-cut products. To adapt current phototreatment technology to industrial FFVP processing, it is necessary to offset some limitations, especially control of harmful substances (For example, nitrite and furan) produced by phototreatment, comparison between different phototreatment technologies, and establishment of mathematical models/databases.

Challenges and solutions of extracting value-added ingredients from fruit and vegetable by-products: a review.

Every year, huge amounts of fruit and vegetable by-products in the food processing factories are produced. These by-products have great potential to be used for different targets especially the extraction of value-added ingredients. The target of this study is to review the challenges of extraction of value-added ingredients from fruit and vegetable by-products on the industrial scale and to describe current trends in solving these problems. In addition, some strategies such as multi-component extraction as well as application of fermentation before or after the extraction process, and production of biofuel, organic fertilizers, animal feeds, etc. on final residues after extraction of value-added ingredients are discussed in this review paper. In fact, simultaneous extraction of different value-added ingredients from fruit and vegetable by-products can increase the extraction efficiency and reduce the cost of value-added ingredients as well as the final volume of these by-products. After extraction of value-added ingredients, the residues can be used to produce biofuels, or they can be used to produce organic fertilizers, animal feeds, etc. Therefore, the application of several appropriate strategies to treat the fruit and vegetable by-products can increase their application, protect the environment, and improve the food economy.

Validation of the Test Method-Determination of Available Carbohydrates in Cereal and Cereal Products, Dairy Products, Vegetables, Fruit, and Related Food Products and Animal Feeds: Collaborative Study, Final Action 2020.07.

BACKGROUND: A simple, accurate, and reliable method to measure available carbohydrate components of food products, including cereal and dairy products, fruits, vegetables, processed food, food ingredients, and animal foods, was developed by Megazyme (product K-AVCHO, Bray, Ireland). A single-laboratory validation of the enzymatic method resulted in First Action status as Official Method of AnalysisSM2020.07. OBJECTIVE: A collaborative study was conducted to evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of Official Method 2020.07 for the measurement of available carbohydrates, including digestible starch, lactose, sucrose, isomaltose, maltose, glucose, fructose, and galactose in a broad range of food and feed products. METHOD: Samples are defatted if containing >10% fat content, and incubated with pancreatic α-amylase and amyloglucosidase under conditions that simulate those in the small intestine (pH 6, 37°C, 4 h). The reaction solution is clarified and diluted, and an aliquot is incubated with sucrase, maltase, oligo-1,6-α-glucosidase, and ß-galactosidase to hydrolyze sucrose, maltose, isomaltose, and lactose to glucose, fructose, and galactose, which are then measured enzymatically. The multi-laboratory validation (MLV) matrixes included cereal, animal feeds, fruit, vegetables, infant formula, powdered milk drink, a dessert product, and mushrooms. Additional materials were analyzed by collaborators as "practice samples." RESULTS: All MLV matrixes resulted in repeatability relative standard deviations (RSDr) <3.91% and reproducibility relative standard deviations (RSDR) ranging from 3.51 to 11.58% with 9 of the 10 matrixes having RSDR of <6.19%. For the practice samples, the RSDR ranged from 2.7 to 11.4% with 7 of the 8 samples having RSDR of <4.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Official Method 2020.07 meets the AOAC requirements for repeatability and reproducibility, and the data support Final Action status. HIGHLIGHTS: Official Method 2020.07 is a robust, simple to use, and reproducible method for the analysis of available carbohydrates in a wide range of matrixes.

Gastric digestion of cow milk, almond milk and oat milk in rats.

In this study, gastric digestion of isocaloric and iso-macronutrient cow milk, almond milk and oat milk were compared in rats euthanized at different post-feeding times. The cow milk separated into a curd phase and a liquid phase in the rat stomach. This coagulation of the cow milk led to higher (P < 0.05) protein and lipid retention in the stomach compared with almond milk and oat milk. Almond milk oil bodies aggregated, creamed and rapidly layered in the stomach. This induced a faster (P < 0.05) gastric emptying of proteins (T1/2 = 36 min) compared with cow milk (T1/2 = 89 min) and oat milk (T1/2 = 55 min), and a slower gastric emptying of almond lipids than of almond proteins. In contrast, no significant physical change during the digestion of oat milk was found, with both the proteins and the lipids being steadily emptied from the stomach. This in vivo study provides information on the gastric digestion and emptying (and thereby nutritional characteristics) of plant-based milks compared with animal-based milks, that will be useful for the design of novel plant-based drinks.

Consumer demand for novel fruit and vegetable products with extended shelf lives in East Africa: a multinational multi-product analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential of products made out of underutilised fruits and vegetables for closing seasonal nutritional gaps among rural and urban consumers in East Africa. DESIGN: The multinational analysis combines sensory testing and experimental auctions to assess consumers' perceptions and willingness to pay (WTP) for 6 different fruit and vegetable products. SETTING: Open markets in rural and urban areas in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. PARTICIPANTS: There were 939 male and female adults who were at least 18 years old. RESULTS: Tobit models for each product show that besides sensory perception, similar socio-demographic characteristics influence consumers' WTP for these products in all 3 countries. The products are especially liked among younger, male and urban consumers. CONCLUSION: We conclude that there is demand and a potential market for processed fruit and vegetable products based on indigenous raw material in East Africa. The products, thus, have promising potential to improve nutrition, especially during off-season conditions when access to fresh produce is limited.

Effects of thermal processing on N,N-dimethylpiperidinium (mepiquat) formation in meat and vegetable products.

N,N-dimethylpiperidinium (mepiquat) is an important food contaminant formed from natural ingredients during thermal processing. In this study, mepiquat formation in meat (pork and beef) and vegetables (potatoes and broccoli) was investigated via HPLC-MS/MS; the investigated cooking methods were oven baking, pan cooking, deep frying, and microwaving. The results showed that, among all foods, oven-baked potatoes showed the highest mepiquat level of 1064 µg/kg, which appeared after 20 min at 240 °C. The residual rates of mepiquat precursors, pipecolic acid (PipAc), betaine, choline, and trigonelline, were determined in oven-baked potatoes to investigate their correlation with mepiquat formation. The PipAc levels reduced by 99.8% at 260 °C after 30 min of oven baking, exhibiting a significantly high decomposition rate. Therefore, PipAc could be used as a marker of quality for the detection of mepiquat in thermally processed foodstuffs.

Nutritional Quality of Plant-Based Cheese Available in Spanish Supermarkets: How Do They Compare to Dairy Cheese?

Plant-based cheese is one of the most increasingly consumed dairy alternatives. Evidence is lacking on their nutritional quality. We aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition of the plant-based cheese options available in Spanish supermarkets, and how they compare with dairy cheese. An audit of plant-based cheese alternatives has been conducted in seven of the most common supermarkets. For each product, the nutritional content per 100 g and ingredients were collected. Data on generic dairy cheese were retrieved from the BEDCA website. Descriptive statistics (median, minimum and maximum) were used to characterize the plant-based cheese products, for both all the products and grouped by main ingredients (i.e., coconut oil, cashew nuts and tofu). Mann-Whitney U tests were used for comparisons between dairy and different types of plant-based cheese. The coconut oil-based products (the large majority of plant-based cheese products, n = 34) could not be considered as healthy foods. Their major ingredients were refined coconut oil and starches and were high in saturated fats and salt. The other smaller groups, cashew nut- (n = 4) and tofu-based (n = 2), showed a healthier nutritional profile. Replacing dairy cheese with these groups could be nutritionally beneficial. Future investigations should address the health effects of substituting dairy cheese with these products.

Antimicrobial activity of various essential oils and their application in active packaging of frozen vegetable products.

Essential oils (EOs) have potential utility as clean-label food preservatives due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In this study, various EOs were screened for their antimicrobial activities against Listeria grayi in vitro. The susceptibility of L. monocytogenes to select EOs was compared with that of L. grayi. The effectiveness of the selected EOs in inhibiting the growth of L. grayi on vegetable products was also investigated. The results showed that cinnamon and oregano EOs and carvacrol were effective in the vapor phase in inhibiting the growth of L. grayi as well as L. monocytogenes, with the susceptibility of L. monocytogenes to cinnamon EO being slightly higher than that of L. grayi. The packaging of green peppers with cellulose stickers impregnated with cinnamon EO at 556 µL/Lheadspace reduced the Listeria count to 1 log CFU/g after 2 days of storage as compared to 7.5 log CFU/g for controls.

Effects of salt concentration on the quality of paocai, a fermented vegetable product from China.

BACKGROUND: Paocai is a traditional Chinese fermented vegetable food. As the most important ingredient, salt has crucial effects on the bacterial community and volatile compounds of paocai. To demonstrate the effects of salt on the fermentation of paocai, the bacterial composition and volatile compounds were investigated using high-throughput sequencing and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). RESULTS: The salt had no significant effects on the bacterial community at the phylum level. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes gradually decreased during the fermentation, and Firmicutes gradually increased as the dominant bacteria in the late stage of fermentation. At the genus level, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus gradually increased in relative abundance during the fermentation and became the dominant bacteria in paocai. High salt levels can contribute to the growth of Lactobacillus, which became the dominant genus in paocai. The salt concentration affected the profiles of volatile compounds in paocai after fermentation. A total of 42 volatile components were detected by GC-MS, among which phenols, aldehydes, and nitriles were the main ones. A high salt concentration will increase the volatile compound content, mainly aldehydes and alcohols, and improve the flavor of paocai. At the same time, the electronic tongue analysis also showed that a high salt concentration made a major contribution to the flavor of paocai. CONCLUSIONS: These data are helpful to elucidate the effects of salt on the quality of paocai and contribute to improving the quality and reducing the use of salt. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Measurement of Available Carbohydrates in Cereal and Cereal Products, Dairy Products, Vegetables, Fruit, and Related Food Products and Animal Feeds: First Action 2020.07.

BACKGROUND: The level of available carbohydrates in our diet is directly linked to two major diseases: obesity and Type II diabetes. Despite this, to date there is no method available to allow direct and accurate measurement of available carbohydrates in human and animal foods. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to develop a method that would allow simple and accurate measurement of available carbohydrates, defined as non-resistant starch, maltodextrins, maltose, isomaltose, sucrose, lactose, glucose, fructose, and galactose. METHOD: Non-resistant (digestible) starch is hydrolyzed to glucose and maltose by pancreatic α-amylase (PAA) and amyloglucosidase at pH 6.0 with shaking or stirring at 37°C for 4 h. Sucrose, lactose, maltose, and isomaltose are completely hydrolyzed by specific enzymes to their constituent monosaccharides, which are then measured using pure enzymes in a single reaction cuvette. RESULTS: A method has been developed that allows the accurate measurement of available carbohydrates in all cereal, vegetable, fruit, food, and feed products, including dairy products. CONCLUSIONS: A single-laboratory validation was performed on a wide range of food and feed products. The inter-day repeatability (RSDr, %) was <3.58% (w/w) across a range of samples containing 44.1-88.9% available carbohydrates. The LOD and LOQ obtained were 0.054% (w/w) and 0.179% (w/w), respectively. The method is all inclusive, specific, robust, and simple to use. HIGHLIGHTS: A unique method has been developed for the direct measurement of available carbohydrates, entailing separate measurement of glucose, fructose, and galactose, information of value in determining the glycemic index of foods.

Nutritional Content and Health Profile of Single-Serve Non-Dairy Plant-Based Beverages.

A growing number of people are seeking a non-dairy plant-based beverage both for their personal health, and for the health of the planet. The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional survey of single-serve plant-based beverages to assess their nutritional content and health profile. A total of 51 non-dairy plant-based beverages were analyzed from the nutrition label listed on the commercial package. The various beverages contained extracts of soy (n = 14), almonds (n = 13), oats (n = 12), peas (n = 7), banana (n = 2), coconut (n = 2), and rice (n = 1). Almost one-half (45%) of the single-serve beverages had 5 g or more of protein/serving. A total of 75% and 65% of the single-serve beverages had calcium and vitamin B12 levels, respectively, fortified to at least 20% of the Daily Value (DV), while only 28% had vitamin D fortification at the 20% DV level. Two-thirds of the single-serve beverages had high sugar levels, while 39% were low in sodium, 63% were low in fat, and 96% were low in saturated fat. The single-serve plant-based beverages had more protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and sugar but less fat than the non-dairy, multi-serve plant-based beverages/ serving. A limited number of single-serve beverages met the requirements of school meal programs.

Development and physicochemical characterization of a new grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) miso.

BACKGROUND: Western consumers interest in Eastern fermented foods has been growing, due to their nutritional and healthy properties. In this study, new sweet misos and salty misos were produced using grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) - traditional Portuguese legume from local producers - to promote its consumption and preservation. The evolution of the new misos was evaluated in comparison to traditional miso (made from soybean), through analysis of the chemical composition, colour, texture and linear viscoelastic behaviour. RESULTS: Throughout the fermentation process, the ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds content - with important nutritional value - increased in all misos, mainly in misos produced using grass pea, besides, grass pea sweet miso presented the fastest evolution and darkest colour. The texture parameters (firmness and adhesiveness) of misos decreased over time: grass pea sweet miso showed the highest firmness reduction (51.63 N to 6.52 N) and soybean sweet miso the highest adhesiveness reduction (27.76 N to 3.11 N). Viscoelastic moduli also decreased, reflecting a reduction in the degree of internal structuring for all misos. However, grass pea misos presented more structured internal systems with faster maturation kinetics than soybean misos, for which stabilization started earlier. CONCLUSION: Two innovative misos were developed from grass pea. After 4 months, the texture parameters and viscoelastic moduli for grass pea misos, were similar to the control misos made from soybean, showing that grass pea can be used as a raw material to produce a sustainable miso with potentially healthy properties. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Assessment of cadmium and lead content in tomatoes and tomato products.

BACKGROUND: Cadmium and lead are completely redundant in the human body and any amount of these elements ingested poses a risk of adverse health effects. In non-occupational exposure the highest amount of xenobiotics enters the body with food. Valued for their taste, universal culinary application and health benefits tomatoes and tomato products are consumed almost every day by a large proportion of society. In order to protect consumers' health it is very important to monitor cadmium and lead content in food products. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was the health assessment of cadmium and lead content in tomatoes and tomato products in relation to their acceptable maximum levels in the relevant legislation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fresh fruits of the tomato plant and tomato products (juices, purées, concentrates, sauces) were analysed. Heavy metal content (Cd, Pb) was determined by flameless atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Before the AAS determination the samples were subjected to pressure mineralisation using microwave energy. RESULTS: Cadmium and lead contents in the studied food products were within the allowed range (the maximum level of cadmium and lead contamination of tomatoes is 0.05 mg/kg and 0.1 mg/kg of fresh mass). The limit for cadmium was exceeded only in a canned tomato concentrate (0.064 mg/kg of fresh mass). The average cadmium content in raw tomatoes and tomato products was: 0.017 mg/kg fresh weight, and lead 0.021 mg/kg fresh weight. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the low cadmium and lead contamination of the study samples of tomatoes and tomato products, it seems desirable to constantly monitor the content of these elements in food due to their ability to accumulate in the body and the risk of adverse health effects developing after many years of exposure, even to small doses.

Anaerobic digestion of fourth range fruit and vegetable products: comparison of three different scenarios for its valorisation by life cycle assessment and life cycle costing.

Changes in consumer demand due to preferences for a healthier lifestyle have led to a new market offering fruit and salad products ready to eat. This affects the agro-industrial sector and the characteristic of waste streams generated having the organic fraction higher quality and representing a new opportunity of valorisation. This study experimentally evaluated the digestion of wastes derived from the fourth range product sector. It was also proposed the use of this digestate as a fermentation medium for producing plant growth-promoting cultures. Three digestion scenarios were studied: Scenario 1 considered biogas valorisation using a combined heat and power (CHP) unit. Scenario 2 featured biogas upgrading to be used as vehicle fuel. Finally, scenario 3 evaluated the transport of waste materials to the digestion plant by a network of pipes and pumps directly from the production chain. All three scenarios included the land application of a biostimulator based on the production of a plant growth-promoting culture derived from digestate. Life cycle analysis and life cycle costing were used to determine potential environmental impacts and costs over a lifetime of 25 years. The study showed that scenario 1 was the most favourable option for valorising this type of waste, although the economic assessment resulted in negative values for all three alternatives.

Contribution of autochthonous yeasts with probiotic potential to the aroma profile of fermented Guajillo pepper sauce.

BACKGROUND: Three yeast strains with probiotic potential, Hanseniaspora opuntiae, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus were inoculated in the fermentation of Guajillo chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) sauce, and the different aroma profiles were investigated. Using headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) analysis and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GCO), flavour compound production was evaluated during the fermentation of the Guajillo chilli pepper sauces. RESULTS: A total of 78 volatile compounds were identified during the yeast fermentation of the sauce. Most aldehydes and terpenes detected were present at the beginning of the fermentation, indicating a Guajillo chilli pepper origin. Among the 34 active aroma compounds detected by GCO, propanoic acid (cheesy), 3-methylbutanoic acid (sharp, cheese), ethyl 2-methylbutanoate (fruity), and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (strong, citrus) were identified as key aroma contributors produced by the inoculation of the yeasts. A different aroma profile was produced by probiotic yeast. Hanseniaspora opuntiae produced an aroma profile with herbal and green notes based on high production of aldehydes, ketones, and acetic acid. Pichia kudriavzevii and W. anomalus produced fruity, green-herbal, and cheesy notes based on ester compounds, alcohol and branched-chain acids production although, the production of propanoic acid by W. anomalus increased the cheesy character in the sauces. CONCLUSION: The aroma profile of fermented chilli pepper sauces depends not only on the chili pepper varieties used but also on the fermentation process as a source of aroma compounds. The use of probiotic yeast can be used to improve and diversify the aroma profile of fermented chilli pepper sauces. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influences of sensory attribute intensity, emotional responses, and non-sensory factors on purchase intent toward mixed-vegetable juice products under informed tasting condition.

Product-related sensory and non-sensory cues have been studied in the past to understand purchase behavior among consumers. However, there has been little research related to integrating emotional responses with such cues to achieve better prediction of consumer purchase behavior. This study aimed to determine the impacts of sensory attribute intensities (SAI), non-sensory factors (NSF), and emotions on purchase intent and consumer choice. Emotional responses were measured using a self-reported emotion questionnaire (EQ), facial expression analysis (FE), and autonomic nervous system responses (ANS). Sixty-nine adults were asked to view product labels, and look at, smell, and drink five commercially-available vegetable juice samples. For each sample, SAI, NSF, EQ, FE, ANS, and purchase intent ratings were measured. Participants were also asked to select the one they would be most likely to buy. Results showed that the five samples differed significantly with respect to SAI, NSF, and emotional responses measured by EQ and FEs. SAI (bitterness intensity) and NSF (brand liking) played an extremely important role in purchase-related behavior of vegetable juice products. Correlation analysis and a PLSR prediction model further revealed that products with higher ratings of purchase intent elicited lower levels of negative emotions and higher levels of positive emotions, as measured by EQ as well as FE. In conclusion, this study shows that NSF in combination with SAI and emotions measured using EQ and FE can modulate consumer purchase intent toward vegetable juice products under informed tasting conditions.

LC-MS/MS for simultaneous detection and quantification of Amadori compounds in tomato products and dry foods and factors affecting the formation and antioxidant activities.

In order to establish an efficient detection method to evaluate the formation of Amadori compounds (ACs) in food products and study the potential health effects, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (UPLC-MS/MS) method using caffeine as internal standard was developed to determine eight ACs. The detection limits ranged from 0.0179 to 0.0887 mg/L for the ACs. The accuracy of the method was tested through measuring recovery of the spiked samples that varied from 81.90 ± 2.98% to 108.74 ± 2.34%. This method was further applied to detect ACs in 10 food products. Results showed that dry fruits and vegetables were rich in ACs, the total content of ACs varied from 1.36 ± 0.26 to 3415.91 ± 147.96 mg/100 g. The total amount of ACs in tomato juice heated under vacuum condition showed significant increment (P < 0.05) in 25 min at 80 °C comparing with that under atmospheric pressure due to the rapid loss of water. Besides, the amino acid content shows positive correlation with the corresponding AC formation in Maillard reaction during food drying. After heated at fixed water activity (Aw) for 4 hr by sous-vide process, the ACs content in tomato powder increased significantly and the antioxidant activity improved as well. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Results of this study provided a valuable tool to evaluate the formation of ACs in complex dry food products, facilitated the quality control of food products. The knowledge obtained will offer useful information to food processors. The synthesized ACs would facilitate further study into the antioxidant activities and potential health effects of specified AC.

Infrared enthalpymetric methods: A new, fast and simple alternative for sodium determination in food sauces.

This work developed a new technique and an application of an existing approach to determine sodium in food sauces, involving enthalpimetric reactions in the infrared. Infrared Thermometric Titration (TT-IR) was utilized, with simple analyzers and low-cost measurement instruments for the acquisition of the surface temperature generated in the sodium precipitation reaction and development of software for the acquisition and processing of data using Raspberry Pi. The sodium was also quantified by Thermal Infrared Enthalpimetry (TIE), a recently developed technique. The rapid and simple quantification of sodium by the TT-IR and TIE showed the possibility of a selective reaction for sodium, using aluminum nitrate, potassium and ammonium fluoride in an acid medium, with reduction of the reagents and without the digestion step in the sample preparation. The results acquired through TT-IR and TIE corroborated the Flame Atomic Emission Spectrometry (FAES) with 96 to 103% and 95 to 102%, respectively.

High value-added compounds from fruit and vegetable by-products - Characterization, bioactivities, and application in the development of novel food products.

Fruit and vegetable processing industry is one of the relevant generators of food by-products, which display limited commercial exploitation entailing economic and environmental problems. However, these by-products present a considerable amount of dietary fiber as well as bioactive compounds with important biological activities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Therefore, the international scientific community has considered the incorporation of their extracts or powders to preserve or fortify food products an area of interest, mainly because nowadays consumers demand the production of safer and health-promoting foods. In the present review, several statistical and other relevant data concerning the increasing generation of fruit and vegetable by-products (FVB) are critically analyzed and presented. Next, a special focus is given to the chemical characterization and bioactivities (namely antioxidant and antimicrobial properties) of several FVB. Lastly, an in-depth review with recent studies (briefly compiled) about the incorporation of fruit and vegetable processing wastes in animal, dairy, beverages, and bakery products, among others is provided.