Nagaland University turns pineapple waste into high-quality vinegar
Researchers developed high-quality vinegar from pineapple peels, offering a sustainable solution to fruit waste and boosting rural livelihoods.
Researchers at Nagaland University (AT Image)
Dimapur, Dec 9: In a new study, Nagaland University (NU) researchers have converted pineapple peels into high-quality vinegar with practical and sustainable methods that can support rural livelihoods while reducing the environmental burden of fruit waste.
Showing how pineapple processing waste can be converted into value-added products, the research contributes to ongoing efforts to strengthen sustainable pineapple production, improve value addition and bolstering rural livelihoods in Nagaland.
The cutting-edge finding demonstrates the potential to replace the highly expensive apple-based vinegar, thereby paving the way for sustainable waste utilisation and enhanced revenue generation in commercial pineapple-growing belt, a varsity release said on Monday.
The findings of this research by Nagaland University were published in European Journal of Nutrition and Food Safety (DOI: 10.9734/ejnfs/2025/v17i31667), a peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes research on human nutrition and food safety.
The study found that vinegar made from pineapple peel delivered the best acidity, flavour and overall quality.
The university has also developed core-based candy, fibre extraction and improved cultivation practices to support farmers.
The research paper was co-authored by Dr Sentinaro Walling, Prof Akali Sema, Prof CS Maiti, Dr Animesh Sarkar, Prof SP Kanaujia and Alemla Imchen from Nagaland University’s horticulture department.
Nagaland is a notable pineapple-growing region in the country, known for fruit that is exceptionally sweet, rich in juice and low in fibre.
The ‘Kew’ variety is widely cultivated, with the ‘Queen’ variety grown in smaller pockets in the State.
Districts such as Chumoukedima, Niuland, Dimapur, Kiphire, and Mokokchung are the key production areas of pineapple.
The State’s conducive geo-ecological conditions ensure excellent fruit quality, reflected in its blended sweetness and other desirable biochemical attributes that may once again prove its high acceptability among the pineapple lovers.
“Pineapple processing generates large quantities of peel, pomace, core and crown, much of which is discarded. Additional waste occurs due to rough handling and poor storage, posing significant environmental concerns,” claims the study.
It found that these by-products, although often treated as waste, are rich in fibre, proteins, pectin, vitamins and minerals, and when left unmanaged, they contribute to landfill accumulation, contamination and higher disposal costs.
However, the same waste materials can serve as suitable substrates for fermentation and other value-added applications.
Vinegar production is one such avenue, as the sugar-rich residues provide an ideal base for alcoholic and acetic fermentation.