The Impact of Torrefaction Temperature on the Physical-Chemical Properties of Residual Exotic Fruit (Avocado, Mango, Lychee) Seeds

A large portion of food loss and waste (FSL) is comprised of seeds and stones. Exotic fruits such as mangoes, lychees and avocados, in which the seeds account for a significant part of the weight and volume of the entire product, are most affected by this problem. The seeds contain a large quantity of polyphenols and essential nutrients, which makes them a good material for extraction. However, conventional extraction techniques are considered time-consuming, and therefore significantly limit their use on an industrial scale. An alternative method of managing the seeds may be their energy utilization. In this study, torrefaction was proposed as a method for the valorization of exotic fruit seeds (mango, lychee, avocado). Thus, the influence of torrefaction temperature (200–300 °C) on the physical-chemical properties of substrates was investigated. The obtained results revealed that, in relation to the unprocessed raw materials, the torreficates are characterized by improved hydrophobic properties (all materials are classified as extremely hydrophobic), higher heating value (at 300 °C the values increased from 17,789 to 24,842 kJ∙kg −1 for mango, from 18,582 to 26,513 kJ∙kg −1 for avocado, and from 18,584 to 25,241 kJ∙kg −1 for lychee), higher fixed carbon content (which changed from 7.87–15.38% to 20.74–32.47%), and significant mass loss, by 50–60%. However, as a side effect of thermal treatment, an increase in ash content (approx. 2–3 times but still less than in coal) was observed. Therefore, the torreficates may be competitive with coal. The possibility of using residues from the food processing sector as a substrate for energy purposes is important from the point of view of environment protection and is a part of the functioning of the circular economy.