Fruit extracts from immature pomegranates, a valuable byproduct and resource: an overview of our past, ongoing, and future studies on this unexpected source of biologically significant compounds

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) thinning, a common agricultural practice involving the removal of immature fruits (ca. 30 to 60 days after fruit bloom, DAFB), generates a substantial, often neglected, by-product with high disposal costs for producers.
In order to reduce the costs of waste disposal and apply a virtuous scheme of circular economy, the valorisation and exploitation of these by-products would be desirable.
The aim of our work, started in 2019, was therefore to study this unexploited resource by assessing the compositional features of environmentally friendly extracts obtained from immature ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate fruits at two different thinning stages.
Comprehensive in vitro and ex vivo studies, primarily targeting antimicrobial activities, were performed to assess their bioprospecting potential.
An overview of our journey in the study of “baby“ pomegranate will be given, together with auspicial future developments and perspectives.

VI International Symposium on Pomegranate and Minor Mediterranean Fruits

L. Pulvirenti, L. Parafati, G. Modica, C. Drago, A. Continella, C. Restuccia, L. Siracusa

Punica granatum, agro-industrial waste, bioactive compounds, HPLC analyses, antimicrobial activities

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2026.1464.44