Valorisation of the date palm

A symbol of fertility and prosperity in Saharan and pre-Saharan zones, the date palm is cultivated mainly for its fruit: dates. After harvesting, large quantities of poor-quality dates and leaves are discarded, a small proportion of which is used by the oasis inhabitants as a source of supplementary feed for their livestock. This waste, made up of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and sugar, could be used in many industrial and biological processes, but unfortunately it is always burnt on farms, posing a serious threat to the environment. Plant debris from date processing, palms and even rachis and trunks, however, can be recycled without polluting nature.

In the literature, there are numerous studies aimed at establishing practices for the sustainable use of date palms. This article outlines the potential and prospects for valorizing date palm by-products (composites for various applications, particleboard and activated carbon), as well as dates not intended for consumption, for the production of bio-polymers, bio-fuels and pharmaceuticals.