Tropical fruits and by-products as a potential source of bioactive polysaccharides

Consumption of tropical fruits is growing around the world, not only due to their flavor and appearance but also for their nutritional value. In addition to the content in macro and micronutrients, tropical fruits contain substantial amounts of bioactive compounds in peels, and seeds which constitute an underexploited source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic acid, polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamin C and polysaccharides. Polysaccharides have attracted growing interest, particularly for their bioactive characteristics such as antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticoagulant, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory properties. Therefore, obtaining functional ingredients from tropical fruits and by-products is feasible and could be used to develop functional and nutraceutical foods to elaborate products of the pharmaceutical industry and food preservation. The present review provides the most relevant information published during the last ten years (2010-2020) on bioactive polysaccharides extracted with hot water reported in tropical fruits and by-products and their relationship with potential beneficial health effects.