Nutritional and Bioactive Profiling of Cucumis melo L. By-Products: Towards a Circular Food Economy

Food waste, due to the high quantities produced, becomes a significant environmental, economic, and social challenge worldwide. Simultaneously, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases has intensified the demand for healthier food options. A promising approach to address these issues involves the valorisation of food by-products for the development of innovative and healthier food products. <i>Cucumis melo</i> L., commonly consumed as a fruit, generates peels and seeds that are typically discarded. In the present study, the nutritional composition and antioxidant potential of pulp, peel, and seeds of <i>C. melo</i> L. (yellow and green melon) were comprehensively evaluated. The seeds were identified as a rich source of dietary fibre (39.0 and 39.7 g/100 g dw; <i>p</i> > 0.05) and protein (21.0 and 21.3 g/100 g dw; <i>p</i> > 0.05), exhibiting an appealing fatty acid profile. The peel contains high levels of dietary fibre (39.7 and 47.1 g/100 g dw; <i>p</i> > 0.05) and total phenolic compounds (1976 and 2212 mg GAE/100 g dw; <i>p</i> > 0.05), suggesting significant bioactive potential. The peels showed a high antioxidant capacity for both methods used, DPPH• (120 and 144 mg TE/100 g dw; <i>p</i> > 0.05) and FRAP (6146 and 7408 mg TE/100 g dw; <i>p</i> > 0.05) assays. Potassium emerged as the predominant mineral in the seeds (799 and 805 mg/100 dw; <i>p</i> > 0.05), while glutamic acid was the most abundant amino acid (4161 and 4327 mg/100 g dw; <i>p</i> > 0.05). These findings emphasise the antioxidant and nutritional properties of <i>C. melo</i> L. by-products, highlighting their potential for inclusion in novel food formulations. This study not only advances the understanding of <i>C. melo</i> L. properties but also supports the reduction of food waste and promotes sustainability within the food supply chain.