Evaluation of nutritional profile, phytochemical potential, functional properties and anti-nutritional studies of Citrus limetta peels

The aim of this work was to determine the proximate, mineral, amino acid composition, antioxidant activity, anti-nutritional factors, total dietary fiber, total phenolic content and technological properties of C. limetta peels. Moreover, analytical techniques including FT-IR and SEM were also conducted to study the morphological and structural properties of C. limetta peels. Considering the proximate, mineral, and amino acid composition, C. limetta peels was found to be a good source of ash (3.06 ± 0.20%), crude fiber (10.13 ± 0.30%), carbohydrate (64.08 ± 0.55%), protein (7.56 ± 0.25%), potassium (125.9671 mg/100 g), calcium (112.5861 mg/100 g), magnesium (16.43 mg/100 g), asparagine (2111.06 nmol/mg), glutamic acid (1331.96 nmol/g), and aspartic acid (1162.19 nmol/mg). Furthermore, they contain an appreciable amount of total dietary fiber (48.73 ± 0.45%), total phenolic content (14.30 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g), and antioxidant activity (52.65 ± 0.10%). Moreover, the antinutritional factors present in C. limetta peels were observed to be within the threshold limit. The results of technological properties of peels suggested that they can be potentially utilized as good emulsifying, gelling, foaming, and bulking agents in food industries. Therefore, C. limetta peels can be successfully re-utilized as natural food additive with numerous nutritive and bioactive properties in food sector, thereby achieving zero waste generation.