During mango processing, its peel and kernel are generated as waste, which is about 40 – 60% of the total fruit. Mango is a rich source of various polyphenolic compounds; main among them is Mangiferin, present in higher amounts in peel and kernels. It is known to have several health beneficial properties including antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiallergic etc.
The antioxidant property and antimicrobial activity against bacterial pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae have been corroborated with the preliminary laboratory experiments conducted. Realising the multiple beneficial properties of mango waste, an integrative approach to convert the waste into useful products viz., i) polyphenols as antioxidants, ii) pectin as food additive, iii) animal feed from low quality kernels and, iv) biopesticides is initiated. In addition, the mango shells are converted into biochar, which finds use as energy briquette and as soil conditioner improving soil fertility and aiding soil water retention.
