Student creates ‘healthy’ juice from fruit peelings

University of Dar es Salaam student Angela Bilago explains to a visitor how fruit peelings can be used to make nutritious juice at the Tanzania Industrial Products Exhibition at Mwalimu Nyerere grounds in Dar es Salaam yesterday. PHOTO | GADIOSA LAMTEY

What you need to know:

Student from University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) has invented a probiotic rich juice production using fruit peels that can protect people from number of diseases.

Dar es Salaam. A third-year student at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) has innovated juice produced from fruit peels, which can protect people from cancer and diabetes.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday at the on-going Tanzania Industrial Products Exhibitions at Mwalimu Nyerere grounds, Ms Angela Bilago from the College of Natural and Applied Science said the innovation was part of a project they plan to expand after graduating.

“We are three but I’m the one who come up with this idea in 2016 after realising that a lot of people now are interested in avoiding obesity and losing weight by preferring natural foods to industrial foods laden with chemicals,” she said.

She said research had established that fruit peels and seeds of some fruits are thrown away or used as low-grade animal feed, and in most cases are regarded as waste. With global climate change and an increase in disease, natural products made from peels and seeds can be used as medicine.

Ms Bilago said people normally throw away fruit peel due to lack of knowledge on its benefits, adding that currently the project is testing six fruit peels, namely avocado, mango, pineapple, apple, strawberry and grapes. “This juice is easy to make as it is like any other juice,” she said

She said the benefits of using peel juice are due to its anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and anti-cancer compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, chlorophyll. It also has minerals such as magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, calcium and iron as well as vitamins B and C.

Ms Bilago said the future plan is to supply the best quality fresh peel fruit juice which is beneficial to people’s health.

“We are also providing our customers with the chance to purchase new, exciting and refreshing products which can help them lose weight,” she said.