Exploring the nutrient profiles of fruits and vegetable by‐products for improving food system sustainability

Abstract The generation of by‐products from fruit and vegetable (F&V) processing industries poses opportunities and challenges, containing essential nutrient sources necessary for human health. The present study comprehensively analyzes the nutrient compositions and fatty acid content of by‐products derived from apples, pomegranate, beetroot, carrots, and tomatoes. The proximate composition varied significantly across samples, with protein content (1.23–29.56 g/100g), fat (0.08–0.52 g/100g), ash (0.51–6.26 g/100g), moisture (3.28%–5.43 %), soluble dietary fiber (5.19–14.09 g/100g), insoluble dietary fiber (14.14–52.59 g/100g), and total dietary fiber (19.33–61.91 g/100g), respectively. Among these, BP indicated the lowest values, except for ash content. The analysis of vitamins revealed TP as the highest source, while BP was the lowest among most of the parameters. Moreover, mineral analysis exhibited CP as the highest in Ca, Zn, and Mg, while AP showed the richest Fe, Ca, Zn, P, and Mn levels. The significant variation in free sugars and fatty acid content was evaluated using HPLC and GC‐FID systems. Finally, the present findings demonstrate that F&V by‐products may be utilized as an efficient nutritional source, with potential application in nutraceuticals and functional foods, reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability. This could contribute to the prevention of non‐communicable diseases and protect overall human health.