Full Exploitation of Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth): State of the Art and Perspectives

Author: mycolabadmin
2022-11-21
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Summary

This research examines the full potential of the peach palm tree, from its edible products to its waste materials. The study shows how this Amazonian palm species can be sustainably used to produce food while its waste can be transformed into valuable products. Impact on everyday life: • Provides a sustainable source of palm hearts without killing the tree, making it more environmentally friendly and economically viable • Offers nutritious food products rich in antioxidants and carotenoids through its fruits • Creates new economic opportunities through waste transformation into useful products like dietary fibers and food additives • Helps reduce environmental waste by finding uses for previously discarded plant materials • Contributes to more sustainable food systems and circular economy practices

Background

The peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) is a palm tree native to the Amazon region that has been domesticated since pre-Columbian times. It produces two valuable food products: palm hearts and fruits. The species has gained importance in Brazil for sustainable palm heart production due to its advantages over other palm species, including precocity, hardiness and ability to regenerate through tillering.

Objective

This review aims to comprehensively analyze the historical, botanical, social, environmental, and nutritional aspects of both edible and non-edible parts of the peach palm, with particular focus on recent developments in valorizing the fruit as a source of carotenoids and starch, as well as exploring the potential of lignocellulosic wastes for biotechnological applications.

Results

The review found that peach palm cultivation for palm heart production has significant advantages including quick maturity (18 months), hardiness, and sustainable harvesting through tillering. The fruits are rich in carotenoids, starch, and nutrients. Lignocellulosic wastes from processing can be upcycled into valuable products including prebiotics, enzymes, cellulose nanofibrils and high-fiber flours. Clean technologies are being successfully employed in these recovery processes.

Conclusion

The peach palm demonstrates significant potential for full exploitation, from its edible parts to its waste products. The fruits serve as excellent sources of antioxidants and carotenoids, while the lignocellulosic wastes can be transformed into various valuable biotechnological products. Future research should focus on making recovery processes economically viable to stimulate the peach palm production chain.

Published in:Plants (Basel),
Study Type:Review,
Source: 10.3390/plants11223175