Citrus reticulata Blanco (the common mandarin) fruit: An updated review of its bioactive, extraction types, food quality, therapeutic merits, and bio-waste valorization practices to maximize its economic value

Fruits are regarded as the richest dietary sources of polyphenols, carotenoids, terpenoids, and limonoids, making them highly desired prospects for the functional food industry. Citrus waste that remains after fruit processing is also regarded as a valuable source of value-added phytochemicals. A comprehensive analysis of mandarin composition as a determinant of fruit functional properties, health benefits, and valorization into useful products is represented together with the effect of different processes such as light, wax coating, auxin addition, ozone treatment, and ethylene degreening. Such reviewing evidence is an essential precondition for improving the selling market of mandarin and highlighting its waste valorization potential and its incorporation into useful products produced by pharmaceutical industries. In this study, the phytochemical and biological reports presented to emphasize the needed priority for agricultural techniques to provide a certain mandarin product or trait. In addition, the paper summarizes the optimum conditions applied for the updated extraction techniques for phenolic acids, flavonoids, and oils at a commercial scale from mandarin peels and to enhance its global marketing. A brief representation is given towards potential mandarin patents and the valorization of its bio-waste fruits into commercial products of added value. The review can guide researchers to produce future potentially marketed functional food enriched with mandarin extracts and/or bioactives.