March 17/Karnataka, India/Food Weekly News -- "Antioxidants like phenolics and carotenoids -- both as additives in foods or pharmaceutical supplements -- can scavenge reactive oxygen species and protect against degenerative diseases like cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Mango peel, which is a byproduct obtained during processing of mango products such as mango pulp and amchur, is currently discarded and, thus, causing environmental pollution," researchers in Mysore, India, report.
"In the present study, mango peel was incorporated into macaroni at three different levels (2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%), and researchers studied its effect on the cooking properties, firmness, nutraceutical and sensory characteristics of macaroni. The total dietary fiber content in macaroni increased from 8.6% to 17.8%. The content of polyphenols increased from 0.46mg/g to 1.80mg/g and carotenoid content increased from 5mu g/g to 84mu g/g of macaroni with 7.5% incorporation of mango peel powder. The macaroni products incorporated with mango peel exhibited improved antioxidant properties.