Citation: Gupta P, Ray J, Aggarwal BK and Goyal P. Food Processing Residue Analysis and its Functional Components as Related to Human Health: Recent Developments. Austin J Nutri Food Sci. 2015;3(3): 1068. Austin J Nutri Food Sci - Volume 3 Issue 3- 2015 ISSN : 2381-8980 | www.austinpublishinggroup.com Goyal et al. © All rights are reserved Austin Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences Open Access Abstract By-products of fruits and vegetables from food processing industry have recently enormous concern because of their pharmacological properties and great nutritional approach. These food processing by-products serve a cocktail or a soup of phytochemicals with health promoting properties. These are claimed to possess many reusable substances of high value and can be money-spinner if they are appropriately utilized. This chapter articulates that by-product of fruits & vegetables have a potential to be used as a functional agent in cosmetics, medicines and functional food application either as raw material for secondary processes, as operating supplies or as ingredients of new products. Keywords: Phytochemicals; Functional food; Nutrition; Nutraceuticals; Human health protective and antimutagenic activities. Te purpose of this chapter is to emphasize the potential of food processing residues as a source of functional compounds for new products. Phytonutrients Phytonutrients, within the context of natural health and nutrition, has come to refer to certain bio-active plant chemicals that humans eat and have or may well have signifcant positive efects on human metabolism. Most phytonutrients are not essential for life, but more and more they appear to be essential for optimal health and longevity. Tey therefore may properly be classifed as micro-nutrients, along with vitamins and minerals. Te technical classifcation of the major groups of phytonutrients found in our diets includes: terpenes, amines, organosulfurs, phenols, polysaccharides, and organic acids. One food can contain several classifcations of phytonutrients. For example, an orange contains Terpenes (carotenoids and limonoids) and phenols (bio favonoids). Briefy, the major groups and sub- groups of phytonutrients and how they may contribute towards optimal biological function are as under: The terpenes Terpenes are the powerful antioxidants for cancer prevention and cardio-vascular disease. Terpenes are any of various unsaturated hydrocarbons, found in essential oils and resins of plants and may be categorized as: a. Carotenoids: Carotenoids are fat soluble group of naturally occurring plant pigments of yellow, orange and red spectrum. Carotenoids function as potent antioxidant and immune potentiators. Tese are considered membrane antioxidants due to their reactivity with singlet oxygen. Diet rich in carotenoids are linked with a decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, and degenerative eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts [3]. Tey may be diferent type and occurs in diferent type of plants such as Alpha- carotene, Introduction Te modern life style and growing health concern have led to an increase in the demand for food and food products, which provide health benefts beyond the crucial nutrition. Natural products obtained from medicinal and food plants are used as a prominent source in primary health care since long time. Rapidly growing body of literature covers the role of plant secondary metabolites and their eventual efects on human health. Nowadays human being are gradually more conscious of diet related health troubles and demanding natural ingredients which are expected to be safe [1]. Large quantities of by-products from fruits & vegetables are discarded every year at food processing plants resulting from the production, preparation and consumption of food. Tese by-products represent a major disposal problem. Food processing residues are those end products of various food processing industries that have not been recycled or used for other purposes. Industries simply dispose of these byproducts by dumping, burning or land flling. Tis is neither good for the environment, nor is a sustainable behavior if we are to preserve the earth for the future generations. Serious environmental problems emerge by these residues, such as water pollution, unpleasant odors, explosions, combustion, asphyxiation, vegetation damage and greenhouse gas emissions. Tus the problem of disposing food industrial waste is becoming grave. Proper management of these wastes is both a regulatory requirement as well as an economic necessity. Research show that these by-products are promising sources of compounds which may be used because of their nutritional and medicinal properties. Researchers have shown a strong correlation between the therapeutic properties of these residues and their health promoting or disease preventing efects [2]. It has been evident that by-products are good source of various phytonutrients with a wide range of pharmacological actions which includes antitumor, antiviral, antibacterial, cardio Review Article Food Processing Residue Analysis and its Functional Components as Related to Human Health: Recent Developments Priti Gupta 1 *, Jaswant Ray 2 , Bipin K Aggarwal 3 and Pankaj Goyal 4 1 Directorate of Agricultural Marketing Govt of NCT of Delhi, India 2 Department of Zoology, Mewar University, Chittorgarh, India 3 Department of Zoology, SSN College (University of Delhi), India 4 Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, India *Corresponding author: Priti Gupta, Directorate of Agricultural Marketing, Govt of NCT of Delhi, 49 Shamnath Marg, Delhi-110054, India Received: June 16, 2015; Accepted: August 19, 2015; Published: August 25, 2015