TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustainable valorization of olive stone by-products
T2 - Opportunities and challenges
AU - El Fessikh, Meriem
AU - Elhrech, Hamza
AU - El Yahyaoui El Idrissi, Amina
AU - Lee, Learn Han
AU - Abdulmonem, Waleed Al
AU - El Omari, Nasreddine
AU - Bouyahya, Abdelhakim
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025
PY - 2025/6
Y1 - 2025/6
N2 - Background: The olive stone, a primary by-product of olive oil extraction, is mainly composed of a lignified shell and inner seed. It represents a substantial portion of the olive industry's biomass waste, contributing over 40 Mt annually. While typically regarded as waste, olive stones contain a variety of nutrients and bioactive compounds like lipids, proteins, phenolic compounds, and minerals found in the seed, as well as fibers in the shell. These elements hold significant value across multiple sectors, including food, energy, and agriculture. These phenolic compounds and nutrients provide notable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive, and antimicrobial effects, supporting health and disease prevention. Scope and approach: This review explores the sustainable utilization of olive stone by-products, highlighting their potential to contribute to human health and environmental sustainability. It discusses the practical applications of olive stones in various domains, from functional ingredients in food products and pharmaceuticals to renewable energy sources and soil-enhancing agricultural inputs. Key findings and conclusions: Olive stones, particularly olive seeds, are rich in dietary fiber (47.6 %), lipids (30.4 %), proteins (13.5 %), and phenolic compounds (8.10 %), especially nüzhenide, nüzhenide 11-methyl oleoside and methoxynüzhenide, and demonstrate a range of health-promoting properties. Additionally, they are shown to benefit metabolic health by combating disorders such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases while also protecting organ functions like those of the liver and kidneys. The review underscores the promise of olive stone by-products as a sustainable, health-benefiting resource in circular economy practices within the olive oil industry.
AB - Background: The olive stone, a primary by-product of olive oil extraction, is mainly composed of a lignified shell and inner seed. It represents a substantial portion of the olive industry's biomass waste, contributing over 40 Mt annually. While typically regarded as waste, olive stones contain a variety of nutrients and bioactive compounds like lipids, proteins, phenolic compounds, and minerals found in the seed, as well as fibers in the shell. These elements hold significant value across multiple sectors, including food, energy, and agriculture. These phenolic compounds and nutrients provide notable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive, and antimicrobial effects, supporting health and disease prevention. Scope and approach: This review explores the sustainable utilization of olive stone by-products, highlighting their potential to contribute to human health and environmental sustainability. It discusses the practical applications of olive stones in various domains, from functional ingredients in food products and pharmaceuticals to renewable energy sources and soil-enhancing agricultural inputs. Key findings and conclusions: Olive stones, particularly olive seeds, are rich in dietary fiber (47.6 %), lipids (30.4 %), proteins (13.5 %), and phenolic compounds (8.10 %), especially nüzhenide, nüzhenide 11-methyl oleoside and methoxynüzhenide, and demonstrate a range of health-promoting properties. Additionally, they are shown to benefit metabolic health by combating disorders such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases while also protecting organ functions like those of the liver and kidneys. The review underscores the promise of olive stone by-products as a sustainable, health-benefiting resource in circular economy practices within the olive oil industry.
KW - Agricultural applications
KW - Bioactive compounds
KW - Biomass waste
KW - By-product utilization
KW - Health benefits
KW - Olive stone
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105000661177&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jfca.2025.107495
DO - 10.1016/j.jfca.2025.107495
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:105000661177
SN - 0889-1575
VL - 142
JO - Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
JF - Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
M1 - 107495
ER -