Mexican scientists from Coahuila create products from avocado waste

Due to the fact that for every million tons harvested from avocado, at least 45 percent of husks and seeds go to waste, scientists from the Autonomous University of Coahuila (UAdeC) designed programs to take advantage of them and make products from different industries.

The project directed by the researcher of the Department of Food Research (DIA) of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences at the UAdeC, Cristóbal Noé Aguilar González , specified that a study on the avocado was carried out, and in the first instance polyphenolic antioxidant compounds of the peel and other bioactive mixtures, that are by nature free phenols, were identified.

In as much, he specified that of the seed it was recognized that near 60 percent is starch in a dry base, and emphasized that oils can also be obtained.

"Using biorefinery in UAdeC's facilities, waste can be used to generate bio-inputs necessary for the generation of biofuel, thanks to the large amount of fermentable sugars for the production of biobutanol or bioethanol," he said in a statement from the agency Research and Development (ID) .

In addition, the also member of the National System of Researchers (SNI) , emphasized that compounds such as proteins and active peptides can be obtained for use in industries such as food or pharmaceutical, essential oils with large amounts of antioxidants for cosmetological purposes.

Although Coahuila, headquarters to UAdeC, is not an avocado producing state, it has the only company that processes the fruit and sells it on the world market in the form of guacamole.

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