Discover hidden value of almond by-products: Nutritional, sensory, technological and microbiological aspects

The search for a sustainable food system represents a major scientific challenge, as the food products and especially the waste/residues generated, in the various stages of the food chain, continue to grow. Almonds are appreciated worldwide for their sensory, nutritional and functional properties, but also for their great versatility. The expanding market for almonds and almond products (almond oil, almond milk, almond butter etc.) has led to generation of tons of by-products along the processing chain (hull, shell, skin, blanched water etc.). Various scientific papers proved that almond by-products contain an interesting amount of bioactive compounds, thus increasing the scientific interest in their potential reuse. Almond by-products have been examined mainly for their phytochemical composition, for bioethanol production, and for animal feed. Therefore, this review seeks to complete the knowledge dedicated to the valorization of such by-products especially for the food sector, suggesting further applications for reformulating traditional food products or to develop the new ones.