Pummelo: A Potential Underutilized Nutraceutical Crop for Multiple Health Benefits

Abstract

Phytochemical-rich fruits are gaining attention worldwide due to a rise in consumer awareness of the nutraceutical potential of these phytochemicals. Consumers prefer such fruits for maintaining good health as they play an important role in the prevention of many diseases. One such wonder crop is ‘Pummelo’ (Citrus maxima). Pummelo is a member of the citrus family and bears exceptional medicinal benefits. The literature survey revealed that this fruit is a rich source of phytochemicals and bears several pharmacological properties viz. antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anticancer activities, etc. Despite its tremendous nutritional benefits, it is considered an underutilized fruit in India with limited use i.e. majorly for domestic consumption. For increasing the consumption and availability of this important fruit crop to the Indian population, there is a need to develop processed value-added products. This review aims to put light on the immense nutritional value and value-added products of pummelo. The value-added products of pummelo have nutraceutical value, there is a lot of scope in preparing phytochemical-rich value-added product in near future as this area of research still need to be explored.