Peanut Skin: Rich Source of Antioxidants to Rival Grape Seed Polyphenols

Filed in archive Studies on April 24, 2006

A waste product of peanut butter manufacturing is peanut skin, a rich source of extractable procyanidins, an antioxidant that could rival that of grape seed polyphenols.

Procyanidins are polyphenol compounds that are found naturally in green tea, fruit, vegetables and red wine which have been previously linked to a wide range of health benefits, including reduced risks of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

Peanut skins were the original source of oligomeric proanythocyanidins (OPCs) - dimers, trimers and tetramers of the procyanidin monomers - identified by French scientist Masquelier in the 1950s. But when import practices changed for the benefit of oil producers so that peanuts from Africa were more likely to be shipped ready-shelled, fewer peanut skins were available.

These days, peanut skin is being used for animal feed but is a rich source of antioxidants that could rival the polyphenol-dominated market.

Read more at NutraIngredients.