From agroindustrial waste to functional food: Bioactive enrichment of freeze-dried guacamole with avocado seed starch residue

The utilization of agro-industrial residues as sources of bioactive compounds represents a sustainable and promising strategy for developing functional foods. In this study, avocado seed starch residue extract (ARSE) was evaluated as a functional ingredient in freeze-dried guacamole formulations. Total phenolic content was determined spectrophotometrically using the Folin–Ciocalteu method, and antioxidant capacity was assessed via the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical assay. Additionally, physicochemical properties of ARSE-enriched formulations were compared to a control prepared with the same freeze-dried guacamole base but without ARSE (F0). Results showed that formulations enriched with ARSE (F4 and F5) exhibited higher phenolic concentrations (160.17 and 150.31 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g AL, respectively) than the control. In the DPPH assay, the control sample (F0) displayed the highest antioxidant activity (180.03 mmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g AL), while one ARSE formulation (F6) reached 153.3 mmol TE/g AL. These findings indicate that ARSE is an economical source of phenolic compounds with strong potential for nutraceutical applications, while contributing to the advancement of circular economy practices.