Bioactive Compound Profiling and Antioxidative Capacity of PecanProcessing Co-Products

Abstract

The contemporary food industry increasingly seeks sustainable solutions for valorizing agricultural byproducts. This paper meticulously characterized the phytochemical constituents and assessed the antioxidative efficacy of aqueous extracts obtained from pecan shell coproducts, generated during commercial nut processing. Leveraging advanced extraction techniques, coupled with comprehensive spectrophotometric and chromatographic analyses, we identified and quantified key phenolic compounds responsible for their biological activity. Experimental results consistently demonstrated that these extracts possess significant radical scavenging and reducing capabilities, highlighting their inherent potential as natural antioxidants. This research underscores the viability of transforming a common food processing byproduct into a valuable source of functional ingredients, opening new avenues for developing novel food formulations and enhancing product shelf-life through a circular economy approach in food science.