Proximate composition of orange peel, pea peel and rice husk wastes and their potential use as antimicrobial agents and antioxidants

The proximate composition of extracts from three selected agro-wastes (rice husk, pea peels and orange peels) was determined by following AACC protocols. All wastes were found to have intrinsic phytochemical compositions which are responsible for their antimicrobial and/or antioxidant potential. Amongst the wastes, orange peel had largest amount of total phenolic content as well as total flavonoid content. The highest values for total phenolic and flavonoid contents were consistent with the most significant antioxidant potential observed for orange peel. Although FRAP values were in agreement with the scavenging assays, but the reducing power in terms of total antioxidant capacity was highest for pea peel extracts. The wastes also exhibited significant inhibition against selected fungal and bacterial stains which suggest that these samples could be good antimicrobial source.