Pomegranate waste could be transformed into oil capsules high in antioxidants with the ability to inhibit skin photoaging, scientific journal Food and Bioproducts Processing reported.

A study led by Dr Athanasia Goula at Greece's Aristotle University in Thessaloniki concluded polyphenol-rich pomegranate seed oil should be developed as an ingredient for the food and nutrition industry.

"Due to the above mentioned pharmaceutical and nutraceutical properties of pomegranate seed oil and also due to the large annual production of pomegranate seeds as a by-product of the juice and concentrate industries, the seeds could have more beneficial application in food industries," the authors were quoted as saying.

The research team noted during industrial processing large volumes of seeds, peels and leaves were produced with a wide range of nutritional values that could be used in the food industry.

The study evaluated new methods for producing the oil through extraction and using skimmed milk for encapsulating the oil via spray drying.

The microcapsules were evaluated for moisture content, particle size, bulk density and hygroscopicity. The maximum encapsulation efficiency was 95.6%, according to the authors.

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