Persimmon (Diospyros sp.) Processing into Food and Non-Food Products: A Systematic Review

Authors

Avila, Annie

Shapiama, Ariana

Pizán, Kevin

Moreno, Nicoll

Rojas, Meliza Lindsay

Abstract

The persimmon (Diospyros sp.) fruit is highly valued for its high nutritional content, especially containing carbohydrates, antioxidants, carotenoids and phenological compounds. Despite its qualities, the information available about the possibilities of exploitation of this fruit is lacking and only one revision was found. For this reason, the present systematic review concerning persimmon fruit processing was carried out. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the main processing operations, the type of product or by-product obtained and its possible applications, over the last 6 years. The PRISMA methodology was used, with criteria for inclusion and exclusion in the different databases allowing for an adequate collection of information, resulting in 25 selected articles. As results, in the selected studies, different types of applied operations were found, such as convective drying (the most widely used one) with 20%, pasteurization with 15%, high pressures and milling both with 10%, and lyophilization with 8%. In addition, from the total products, 43% are food products such as flour, snacks, nuts, fiber, among others. Whereas 20 % was made from persimmon processing by-products in the form of flour, vinegar, powder, bioethanol and fertilizer. In conclusion, the research found shows that it is possible to obtain, from persimmon, a diversity of food and non-food products, providing an added value to the khaki through different operations by managing to conserve the fruit for longer, in addition to a business opportunity for food agroindustry.