Potential of Chinese Mandarin Peel and Leaf (Agricultural Byproducts) as Candidate Ingredients for Functional Foods and Feeds

Mandarin peel and leaf were investigated as candidate ingredients for the development of functional foods and feeds. A total of 37 compounds were identified; among them, 2 and 14 were detected for the first time in peel and leaf, respectively. Leaf exhibited richer chemical diversity, whereas peel showed higher contents of the key bioactive compounds (hesperidin, nobiletin, and tangeretin). The contents of these three compounds varied significantly among peel samples from different cultivars. Extraction dynamics studies indicated that, for daily consumption, three cycles of hot‐water infusion or approximately 24 h of liquor steeping are the optimal conditions. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses suggested that hesperidin, nobiletin, and tangeretin may exert beneficial effects in ameliorating cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Overall, these findings highlight the health‐promoting potential of mandarin byproducts and support sustainable development through their valorization into functional ingredients.