Scientists about increasing health-promoting properties of raspberry pomace
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Raspberry pomace containing potentially health-promoting compounds now go into compost, and they could be a dietary supplement. Olsztyn scientists study the properties of raspberry pomace to be able to fully use their health-promoting potential.
Research on health-promoting properties of raspberry pomace is conducted by PhD student Bartosz Fotschki from the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn.
"We are studying raspberry pomace obtained from fruit processing plant during the production of concentrated juice. Pomace is post-production waste, and we want to +squeeze+ something more from pomace" - Bartosz Fotschki told PAP.
He added that the pomace is not an attractive raw material because of the large number of seeds, which account for over 70 percent of its composition. The seeds have hard shells and they are small. If we were to give them to the people, they would pass through the digestive system intact. Health-promoting potential of raspberry seeds in the pomace is partially confirmed in tests on laboratory animals. This includes, for example, raspberry seed oil - explained the scientist.
"We came up with the idea to increase the availability of health-promoting potential of raspberry pomace by damaging seed shells and thus bringing out the valuable compounds that could be available in these studies for animals, and in future perhaps for people" - he noted.
He added that raspberry seeds contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, of which there is more than 70 percent in raspberry seed oil, more than in rapeseed, sunflower or soy oil. In addition, raspberry pomace contains fibre which beneficially affects the blood lipid profile, for example by lowering cholesterol. Fibre and related polyphenols affect the regulation of blood glucose level, which is important in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Raspberry pomace and raspberry seeds contain polyphenols, which also lower cholesterol, but also reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Free radicals in the body can cause a number of adverse effects, reducing resistance and thus result in a higher incidence of seasonal diseases.
"So far there is no published nutritional research in the world on raspberry pomace. We will test the health promoting properties of the compounds in raspberry pomace on lab rats" - said the PhD student.
He added that the issue of using waste was also important.
"Poland is one of the leading producers of raspberries in the world, as a consequence we have a lot of this material. It gives us a chance to create something new in the form of a dietary supplement, which will come from Poland. Pomace is currently not being used, it is composted, dried, burnt or added to feed in small quantities" - noted Bartosz Fotschki.
PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland, Agnieszka Libudzka
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