Mediterranean Food Industry By-Products as a Novel Source of Phytochemicals with a Promising Role in Cancer Prevention.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to explore the potential of phytochemicals from Mediterranean diet food waste, including pomegranate, as sources of bioactive components with anticancer effects.
Results Summary
The study highlights that pomegranate by-products contain biologically active compounds with anticancer properties, supported by molecular mechanisms that may aid in cancer prevention and treatment.
Population
Not specified (focus on phytochemicals from food waste, not human subjects).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mediterranean diet | increase | health | - | - | beneficial health effects | #1 |
phytochemicals recovered from the food waste generated during the processing of vegetables and fruits, typical of the Mediterranean diet | increase | health | - | - | biologically active components with health benefits | #2 |
phytochemicals recovered from the food waste generated during the processing of vegetables and fruits, typical of the Mediterranean diet | decrease | cancer | - | - | anticancer effects | #3 |
bioactive components from food waste | increase | economic feasibility and sustainability | food processing industry in the Mediterranean region | - | improve the economic feasibility and sustainability of the food processing industry in the Mediterranean region | #4 |
bioactive components from food waste | decrease | cancer | - | - | provide a new strategy to approach prevention of cancer | #5 |
The Mediterranean diet is recognized as a sustainable dietary approach with beneficial health effects. This is highly relevant, although the production of typical Mediterranean food, i.e., olive oil or wine, processed tomatoes and pomegranate products, generates significant amounts of waste. Ideally, this waste should be disposed in an appropriate, eco-friendly way. A number of scientific papers were published recently showing that these by-products can be exploited as a valuable source of biologically active components with health benefits, including anticancer effects. In this review, accordingly, we elaborate on such phytochemicals recovered from the food waste generated during the processing of vegetables and fruits, typical of the Mediterranean diet, with a focus on substances with anticancer activity. The molecular mechanisms of these phytochemicals, which might be included in supporting treatment and prevention of various types of cancer, are presented. The use of bioactive components from food waste may improve the economic feasibility and sustainability of the food processing industry in the Mediterranean region and can provide a new strategy to approach prevention of cancer.