Winemaking leftovers could become a heart-healthy supplement
Ghanta CC, Thapa A, Tao Z, Rohatgi A, Mineo C
Food Waste
The pomace piling up at any winery or cider press, skins, seeds, stems, isn't waste, it's a concentrated source of the same red-purple pigments that make blueberries and red cabbage good for you, just locked away and hard to access.
When grapes get pressed for wine, the leftover skins, seeds, and stems still hold a lot of the fruit's healthy red pigments called anthocyanins. The problem is these pigments are stuck inside tough plant cell walls, so eating or drinking them doesn't do much good since your gut can't break them free. Scientists reviewed ways to pry those pigments loose, like special extraction techniques and tiny protective coatings, so this winery byproduct could someday become a real heart-health ingredient instead of trash.
Key Findings
Grape pomace contains anthocyanins, polyphenols, and fiber, but these compounds are largely bound within the plant cell wall matrix, limiting natural bioavailability.
Non-thermal extraction techniques and encapsulation methods (including electrospinning) show promise for liberating anthocyanins and improving their stability and controlled release.
Grape pomace anthocyanins show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and short-chain fatty acid-boosting effects in vitro, in vivo, and in human studies, suggesting cardiovascular benefits, though specific metabolites and mechanisms need further research.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Grape skins and seeds left over from winemaking are packed with anthocyanins, the pigments linked to heart health, but the plant's own cell walls trap most of these compounds so the body can't absorb them. Researchers reviewed new extraction and encapsulation methods that could unlock this waste product's cardiovascular benefits.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Enhancing Anthocyanin Bioavailability Unlocks the Cardiovascular Potential of Grape Pomace: A Review.
Grape pomace (GP) is a major byproduct of the wine industry, rich in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, anthocyanins (ACYs), and fiber, all of which have important functional properties. GP i...
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A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus Vitis. Grapes are a non-climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters.