Apple pomaces

The solid residue left after pressing apples for juice — a mixture of skins, pulp, seeds and stems. Apple pomace is one of the principal commercial sources of pectin, extracted with hot dilute acid and precipitated with alcohol for use in jams, confectionery and stabiliser blends. Beyond pectin it is valorised as animal feed, a dietary-fibre ingredient, a fermentation substrate for vinegars and spirits, and a source of polyphenol extracts. Its utilisation exemplifies by-product valorisation: a former waste stream converted into gelling agents, fibre and bioactives, improving both the economics and the environmental footprint of juice manufacture.