Upcycling Avocado Seeds (Research)

Extract shows promise as a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory compound

Image credit: Bigstock

Problem

What can be done to help prevent inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, strokes, and cancer?

Chronic inflammatory diseases are the cause of approximately three out of every five deaths worldwide and as many as seven out of ten in the United States.
Health care costs associated with chronic inflammatory diseases make up approximately 90 percent of annual health care expenditures in the United States.

Findings

Food scientists may have found a naturally occurring source for anti-inflammatory compounds in an extract from avocado seeds.

Impact

Extracts from the seeds of avocados, which are considered a low-value waste product, could:

Help prevent these serious diseases.
Return value to avocado growers and processors.
Reduce hundreds of thousands of tons of seed waste dumped in landfills.

Research Area: Integrated Health Solutions

Research Credit

Team

Joshua Lambert, Greg Ziegler, and Deepti Dabas

Participating Departments

Food Science

Federal and State Appropriations

USDA NIFA Hatch Project PEN04708, Accession #1019852

Emerging Discoveries

Avocado seed extract shows promise as anti-inflammatory compound

March 12, 2019

An extract from the seeds of avocados exhibited anti-inflammatory properties in a laboratory study, according to Penn State researchers, and it represents a potential source for novel anti-inflammatory compounds that could be developed as a functional food ingredient or pharmaceuticals.