Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Review Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp2 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Rambutan seeds and peels as sustainable alternatives for functional foods and cocoa butter

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.13110
Submitted
7 December 2025
Published
31-05-2026

Abstract

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.), a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, presents significant potential across nutritional, medicinal and industrial domains. This review consolidates current research on the valorisation of Rambutan by-products, particularly seeds and peels-highlighting their rich bioactive compound composition, including flavonoids, tannins, geraniin and epigallocatechin gallate, a potent anti-cancerous compound. These constituents exhibit potent antioxidant, antidiabetic, antihypercholesterolemic and antimicrobial activities. Physicochemical analyses of rambutan seed oil from varieties R4, R7 and Serjan reveal favourable thermal and compositional profiles, including high levels of arachidic and oleic acids, positioning it as a viable alternative to cocoa butter. Processing techniques such as fermentation and roasting enhance the oil’s sensory and nutritional attributes, while toxicity assessments confirm its safety for consumption. Despite promising findings, gaps remain in mechanistic understanding, clinical validation and industrial scalability. Future research should focus on molecular pharmacology, compound isolation and integration into circular-economy models to fully harness the potential of Rambutan by-products for sustainable food systems and functional applications.

References

  1. 1. Akhtar S, Ismail T, Shaari K. Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.): Nutritional and functional properties. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2019;85:201–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2019.01.018
  2. 2. Morton JF. Fruits of warm climates. Miami (FL): Echo Point Books & Media; 1987. Pulasan. p. 256–66.
  3. 3. Market Reports World. Rambutan market size and growth [Internet]. Market Reports World; c2026 [cited 2026 Mar 25].
  4. 4. Zauba Technologies & Data Services. Rambutan exporters and export data [Internet]. [cited 2026 Mar 27].
  5. 5. Tripathi PC, Karunakaran G, Sakthivel T, Sankar V, Senthil Kumar R. Status and prospects of rambutan cultivation in India. Acta Hortic. 2020;1293:33–40. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2020.1293.5
  6. 6. Tropical exotica: Kerala’s new bumper harvest [Internet]. Kochi: Times of India; c2025 [cited 2026 Mar 25].
  7. 7. Suganthi A, Marry Josephine R. Nephelium lappaceum (L.): An overview. Int J Pharm Sci Res. 2016;1(5):36–39.
  8. 8. Jahurul MHA, Azzatul FS, Sharifudin MS, Hasmadi M, Mansoor AH, Lee JS, et al. Functional and nutritional properties of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) seed and its industrial application: A review. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2020;99:367–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2020.03.016
  9. 9. Sirisompong W, Jirapakkul W, Klinkesorn U. Response surface optimization and characteristics of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) kernel fat by hexane extraction. LWT Food Sci Technol. 2011;44(9):1946–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2011.04.011
  10. 10. Manaf YNA, Marikkar JMN, Long K, Ghazali HM. Physico-chemical characterisation of the fat from red-skin rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) seed. J Oleo Sci. 2013;62(6):335–43. https://doi.org/10.5650/jos.62.335
  11. 11. Issara U, Zzaman W, Yang TA. Physicochemical properties of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) seed fat and its potential as a cocoa butter substitute. Int Food Res J. 2014;21(1):25–31.
  12. 12. Khairy HL, Saadoon AF, Zzaman W, Yang TA, Easa AM. Identification of flavor compounds in rambutan seed fat and its mixture with cocoa butter determined by SPME-GC–MS. J King Saud Univ Sci. 2017;30(3):316–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2017.03.001
  13. 13. Chai KF, Chang LS, Adzahan NM, Karim R, Rukayadi Y, Ghazali HM. Physicochemical properties and toxicity of cocoa powder-like product from roasted seeds of fermented rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) fruit. Food Chem. 2019;271:298–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.07.155
  14. 14. Palanisamy UD, Cheng HM, Masilamani T, Subramaniam T, Ling LT, Radhakrishnan AK. Rind of the rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum, a potential source of natural antioxidants. Food Chem. 2008;109(1):54–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.12.018
  15. 15. Thitilertdecha N, Teerawutgulrag A, Kilburn JD, Rakariyatham N. Identification of major phenolic compounds from Nephelium lappaceum L. and their antioxidant activities. Molecules. 2010;15(3):1453–65. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules15031453
  16. 16. Jayaprakasha GK, Singh RP, Sakariah KK. Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities in grape seed extracts. Food Chem. 2001;73(3):285–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(00)00298-3
  17. 17. Hartmann HT, Kester DE, Davies FT, Geneve RL. Plant propagation: principles and practices. 8th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall; 2011.
  18. 18. Andrade RA, Bagatim AG, Nacata G. Rambutan seed germination: Temperature and storage. Comunicata Sci. 2018;8(2):383–88. https://doi.org/10.14295/cs.v8i2.2114
  19. 19. Duculan J. Germination of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) seeds and seedling characteristics as affected by different growing media [Internet]. Benguet State University; 2016 [cited 2026 Mar 25]. Available from: http://repository.bsu.edu.ph/handle/123456789/446
  20. 20. Cavalcante IHL, Segeren A, Martins ABG. Emergence and initial growth of rambutan seedlings as a function of seed storage conditions. Fruits. 2008;63(6):349–55. https://doi.org/10.1051/fruits:2008031
  21. 21. Chi X, Xiao Y, Dong Q, Yang YQ, Hu F. Fatty acid composition of Lycium ruthenicum collected from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Chem Nat Compd. 2016;52(4):679–81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10600-016-1737-x
  22. 22. Gunstone FD, Harwood JL, Dijkstra AJ. The lipid handbook. 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2007. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420009675
  23. 23. Khairy HL, Saadoon F, Varastegani B, Yang TA, Zzaman W. Physical chemical properties of fermented and roasted rambutan seed fat as a potential source of cocoa butter replacer. Int J Adv Sci Eng Inf Technol. 2017;7(1):57–62. https://doi.org/10.18517/ijaseit.7.1.1066
  24. 24. Azzatul F, Jahurul MHA, Norliza J, Norazlina MR, Hasmadi M, Sharifudin SM, et al. Improvement of melting and crystallisation properties of rambutan seed fat as cocoa butter improver by two-stage fractionation technique. Int J Food Sci Technol. 2021;56(4):1574–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14772
  25. 25. Solís-Fuentes JA, Camey-Ortíz G, Hernández-Medel MDR, Pérez-Mendoza F, Durán-de-Bazúa C. Composition, phase behavior and thermal stability of natural edible fat from rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) seed. Bioresour Technol. 2010;101(2):799–803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2009.08.031
  26. 26. Bhat RS, Al-Daihan S. Phytochemical constituents and antibacterial activity of some green leafy vegetables. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2014;4(3):189–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2221-1691(14)60230-6
  27. 27. Soeng S. Antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of extract and fractions of rambutan seeds (Nephelium lappaceum L.). Biomed Eng. 2015;1(1):6.
  28. 28. Rohman A. Physico-chemical properties and biological activities of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) fruit. Res J Phytochem. 2017;11:66–73. https://doi.org/10.3923/rjphyto.2017.66.73
  29. 29. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Health Organization. Food hygiene (basic texts). 4th ed. Rome: FAO & WHO; 2009 [cited 2026 Mar 25].
  30. 30. Ghobakhlou F, Mohd Ghazali H, Karim R, Sabo Mohammed A. Caracterización de tres variedades de aceite de semillas de rambután de Malasia. Rev Esp Nutr Hum Diet. 2019;23(3):183–93. https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.23.3.756
  31. 31. Afzaal M, Saeed F, Bibi M, Ejaz A, Shah YA, Faisal Z, et al. Nutritional, pharmaceutical and functional aspects of rambutan in industrial perspective: An updated review. Food Sci Nutr. 2023;11(5):2443–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3379
  32. 32. Thitilertdecha N, Teerawutgulrag A, Rakariyatham N. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Nephelium lappaceum L. extracts. LWT Food Sci Technol. 2008;41(10):2029–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2008.01.017
  33. 33. Ovaskainen ML, Tapanainen H, Reinivuo H, et al. Dietary intake and major food sources of polyphenols in Finnish adults. J Nutr. 2008;138(3):562–66. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/138.3.562
  34. 34. Evaristus NA, Wan Abdullah WN, Gan CY. Extraction and identification of α-amylase inhibitor peptides from Nephelium lappaceum and Nephelium mutabile seed protein using gastro-digestive enzymes. Peptides. 2018;102:61–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2018.03.001
  35. 35. Palanisamy UD, Manaharan T, Nor Shafinaz S, Subramaniam T, Ling LT, Radhakrishnan AKC. Rambutan rind in the management of hyperglycemia. Food Res Int. 2011;44(8):2278–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2011.01.048
  36. 36. Martiniakova M, Sarocka A, Penzes N, Biro R, Kovacova V, Mondockova V, et al. Protective role of dietary polyphenols in the management and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrients. 2025;17(2):275. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17020275

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.