Functional compounds in dragon fruit peels and their potential health benefits: a review

Recovery of bioactive or functional compounds from fruit wastes is a current research trend, not only to lessen the waste disposal burden, but also to meet the increasing demand from the public for health-beneficial plant-based products. In this review, the main groups of functional compounds from dragon fruit peels including betalains, phenolics and dietary fibres are comprehensively scrutinised. The potential health benefits of these phytochemicals in individuals or in matrices are discussed, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, prebiotic, antibacterial, antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities, and blood lipid profile improvement. These analyses provide insights in the development of the products and bioactive compounds derived from dragon fruit peels for human consumption to prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.