Purple passion fruit peel, a by-product of the food industry rich in dietary fibre and bioactive compounds, may help reduce the inflammation and oxidative stress associated with asthma. This is the conclusion of a study by the University of Aveiro (UA), which identified beneficial effects of this ingredient on the body’s antioxidant response and the modulation of airway inflammation, opening new perspectives for its use as a nutritional adjunct in supporting asthma management.
The study was co-authored by Adelaide Almeida, a researcher at CESAM and professor at the Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro, together with Alexandre Fonseca, Cátia Vieira, Armando Silvestre and Sílvia Rocha, from the LAQV-REQUIMTE – Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry and CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials research units. The findings suggest that the observed effects may result from the combined action of the various components of purple passion fruit peel, including its bioactive compounds and high dietary fibre content. The latter may play an important role through its interaction with the gut microbiota and its potential influence on immune responses in the lungs.
Published in the journal Food Research International, the study evaluated the potential of incorporating purple passion fruit peel powder into the diet. The results showed that this strategy did not produce adverse effects in any of the safety parameters assessed.
At the highest concentration tested, supplementation enhanced the body’s antioxidant defences, with significant increases in key cellular protection mechanisms. The researchers also observed reduced levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), which is associated with allergic responses, as well as two molecules involved in airway inflammation. These findings were accompanied by a lower presence of inflammatory cells in lung tissue.
Overall, the results highlight the potential of purple passion fruit peel as a nutritional adjunct to support asthma management, while also contributing to the sustainable valorisation of a by-product of the food industry.
The authors emphasise, however, that this approach is not intended to replace conventional pharmacological treatments for asthma. As the findings are based on an experimental study, further research will be required to determine whether the observed benefits can also be demonstrated in humans and whether they have a meaningful impact on lung function.
The research involved collaboration with scientists from the University of Campinas (Brazil), Embrapa Food Agroindustry (Brazil), and the University of Coimbra.
Original news story: UA Online, 4 August 2026.