Composition of by-products from cooked fruit processing and potential use in food products

The process that produces Liège syrup (apple butter-like) results in high amounts of residues from cooked apples, pears and sun-dried dates. These unusual fruit by-products were studied for their composition in total proteins and fats, dietary fiber (DF) and their content in total and free monosaccharides. All three by-products contained around 20% of total non-cellulosic monosaccharides and around 10% of free monosaccharides. According to two different methods, DF accounted for 70% of the dry weight (DW) with an insignificant soluble fraction; pectin represented 2–3% of DW. Apple and pear residues were composed mainly of cellulose, whereas lignin was the main fraction for dried date. The polyphenolic content and the antioxidant activity of the three products were also assessed and the values showed that their antioxidant characteristics were comparable to that of various raw fruits. No phenolic acids were detected, indicating that the cooking process resulted in their extraction. The lyophilized and ground residues exhibited high water holding capacities (between 5.2 g water per g DW for pear and 8.6 for apple) and average oil holding capacities (around 2.5 g oil per g DW), whereas their color was light brownish as shown by the L*, a*, b* coordinates determined. These data open the possibility to contemplate new specific and niche applications for such by-products. Besides, it provides information about the effects of a cooking process on apple and pear pomaces, as well as on an unusual residue from a dried fruit (date).