Fruit and pomace extracts: applications to improve the safety and quality of fish products

The use of natural or naturally-derived antioxidants, instead of synthetic antioxidants, to produce foods with a longer shelf life and a higher degree of safety is a growing trend. Fruit and fruit-processing by-products are considered to be an important source of bioactive molecules (vitamins C, E, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and dietary fiber) of great interest for the food industry, although their content varies greatly depending on origin, source, type of extract and concentration levels. After a brief introduction, this chapter aims to critically review the applications of fruit and pomace extracts from processing by-products of grape, pomegranate and berry fruits, in improving the safety and quality of fish products, as described in studies recently carried out worldwide. In particular, the antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of these natural food additives in the minced muscle of various marine and freshwater fish species are evaluated.