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From waste to value: traditional to innovative approaches for agricultural and food waste valorization
Abstract
Challenges in managing agricultural and food wastes (AFWs) have been exacerbated by the rapid growth of the global population. Poorly managed AFWs, including residues from crops, livestock, and agro-industries, pose a significant environmental challenge and public health risks. Nonetheless, effective utilization of AFWs depicts their substantial potential as valuable resources. The present review explores the possible valorization processes of various types of AFWs, focusing on sustainable approaches to reuse and recycle these materials. The transformation of AFWs into value-added products, such as animal feed, organic fertilizers, mulches, insect farming, bioenergy, food fortificants, edible coatings, upcycled foods, and food donation has been thoroughly discussed in the present review. Furthermore, the contribution of sustainable management AFWs toward environmental sustainability, economic growth, and improved food security has been highlighted by the promotion of circular economy principles. The present review concludes by accentuating the need for strategic planning, government support, and continued research to accomplish the benefits of AFWs valorization.
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The extensive generation of agricultural waste worldwide poses significant environmental challenges. Traditional disposal methods, such as crop burning, contribute to severe air pollution and ecological degradation. Current agricultural waste management strategies often fail to fully utilize the potential of these residues for conversion into valuable resources. This review highlights the transformative role of nanotechnology in upcycling agricultural waste into high-value, sustainable products, thereby advancing the circular economy. Innovations such as nanocatalysts, biodegradable nanomaterials, and nano-enabled agrochemicals have opened efficient pathways for converting agricultural residues into nanomaterials like nanocellulose, biopolymers, bioplastics, nanofertilizers, and biochar. These technologies provide eco-friendly alternatives to conventional materials while addressing pressing global sustainability challenges. Despite technical, regulatory, and market barriers, integrating nanotechnology into agricultural waste management offers immense potential to minimize waste, reduce environmental impacts, and create economic value. This review emphasizes the need for supportive policies, collaborative efforts between industry and academia, and increased public awareness to foster the widespread adoption of nanotechnological innovations. By reimagining agricultural waste as a valuable resource, nanotechnology can drive sustainable development and enhance resource efficiency, paving the way toward a greener and more resilient future.
The circular economy is a tangible paradigm in response to the unsustainable model of production and consumption of resources in the agri-food system. The circular economy allows for a reduction in the environmental impact through the minimization of food waste or the maximal generation of renewable energy from waste. Despite the relevance, in the extant literature, there are scant indications on how to apply circular business models in agri-food systems. Hence, the paper aims to analyze the circular economy implementation level in the agri-food system in 29 European countries, focusing on specific circular economy strategies. Selected indicators were analyzed to evaluate the level of circular economy implementation in the agri-food system (e.g., production values, energy sharing from renewable sources, and total waste emission) using a Panel data analysis method. The required variables were gained from the global databases within the recent five years (2014–2018). The results reveal an overall lack of circular economy implementation in the agri-food systems among European countries. A set of 12 managerial propositions was suggested to foster the implementation of the circular business models by interacting the recycling, extending, intensifying, and dematerializing strategies with aspects of the production process, waste emission, and renewable energy sharing in the agri-food system.
Due to the urgent need for a transition to sustainable, zero-waste green technology, the extraction of bioactives from food and agricultural by-products and waste has garnered increasing interest. Traditional extraction techniques often involve using organic solvents, which are associated with environmental and health risks. Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) have emerged as a promising green alternative, offering advantages such as low toxicity, biodegradability, and the ability to dissolve a wide range of biomolecules. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent trends in the application of NADESs for extracting bioactive compounds from sustainable sources. The review explains the composition and principles of preparation and highlights various applications of NADESs in extracting different classes of bioactive compounds, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize extraction processes. By summarizing the latest advancements and trends, this review aims to support research and industrial applications of NADESs, promoting more sustainable and efficient extraction methods in the food and agricultural sectors.
The cosmetics industry has experienced rapid growth, driven by consumer demand for products in line with modern lifestyles and technological advances, with greater awareness of the impacts on health and the ecosystem. This review explores the potential use of antibacterial compounds derived from food waste as sustainable alternatives to synthetic preservatives in cosmetic products. Waste obtained from food, including fruit peels, seeds, and plant remnants, is rich in natural bioactives, including polyphenolic compounds and essential oils that exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and soothing features. The integration of these natural ingredients not only improves the shelf-life and safety of cosmetics but also promotes environmentally friendly practices. We discuss the sources and antimicrobial efficacy of these compounds, along with recent technological innovations. This sustainable approach responds to consumer preferences for natural ingredients, reduces food waste, and supports environmental sustainability, ultimately increasing the value and attractiveness of cosmetic products.
With the growth of the worldwide population and depletion of natural resources, the sustainable development of food systems cannot be ignored. The demand for agri-food waste valorization practices like high-value compounds production has received widespread attention; however, numerous challenges still exist. The present study aims to identify those challenges of agri-food waste valorization and propose effective solutions based on smart technologies. Based on a systematic review of the literature, the study combs existing challenges of agri-food waste valorization and constructs a six-dimension conceptual model of agri-food waste valorization challenges. Moreover, the study integrates a Fermatean fuzzy set (FFS) with multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods including stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA), decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory-interpretative structural modeling method (DEMATEL-ISM), and quality function deployment (QFD) to evaluate the weights of each dimension, find causal interrelationships among the challenges and fundamental ones, and rank the potential smart solutions. Finally, the results indicate that the “Government” dimension is the severest challenge and point out five primary challenges in agri-food waste valorization. The most potential smart solution is the “Facilitating connectivity and information sharing between supply chain members (S8)”, which may help government and related practitioners manage agri-food waste efficiently and also facilitate circular economy.
Seafood by-products from various organisms like fish, shellfish, squids, and bivalves are often thrown away as waste, even though they could be utilized in creating new types of valuable foods. Up to 75% of the entire organism consists of industrial processing wastes, which can lead to a loss of profit and ecological sustainability if natural resources are not recycled efficiently. Various types of fish parts and byproducts, such as heads, viscera, skin, bones, scales, exoskeletons, pens, ink, and clam shells, can be categorized as valuable waste based on their
weight percentages, which vary depending on the species and taxonomy. This review paper delves into the extraction and valorization strategies of seafood by-products, with a focus on transforming waste into valuable resources. Marine by-products can provide bioactive substances such as collagen, peptides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, chitin, and catalysts for biodiesel production. This review highlights the utilization of innovative techniques like microwave- and ultrasound-assisted extraction as well as supercritical fluid extraction and subcritical water extraction to extract bioactive compounds from seafood waste efficiently. This section also discusses the optimization of extraction processes to enhance efficiency and yield. Furthermore, the paper explores the potential applications of seafood by-products across various industries, emphasizing sustainable resource utilization and the creation of high-value products to be applied in our current circular economy.
Bioenergy development is critical for achieving carbon neutrality. Biomass residues from agriculture, forest, and livestock manure provide substantial bioenergy resources in China, but their availability, climate, and economic impacts have not been evaluated systematically. Here we assess biomass sustainability, bioenergy potential, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction, and cost-effectiveness using an integrated data-modeling approach. Nationally, only 27% of biomass can be used for sustainable bioenergy production, but can contribute to significant climate change mitigation with optimized regional utilization. The annual GHG reduction can reach 1.0 Gt CO2e for bioenergy, or 1.4 Gt CO2e for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which is comparable to total terrestrial ecosystem carbon sinks in China. The abatement cost varies regionally but is lower than many other carbon removal technologies. Our findings reveal region-specific bioenergy pathways that contribute to carbon neutrality, and encourage future assessments to explore factors including technological advances and carbon markets.
The study addresses global fruit waste concerns in the food industry by extracting pectin from both ripe and unripe banana peels at varying pH levels and time intervals using hydrochloric acid. The best results were observed for unripe banana peel pectin at pH 1.5 and 250 min exhibiting a yield of 16.46% and favorable characteristics. In muffin development, seven treatments (M0, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 and M6) are prepared and analyzed for morphology, nutritional content, and sensory parameters. The M4 treatment, utilizing pectin from unripe banana peel at pH 1.5 and 250 min, displays superior qualities with reduced peroxide value, free fatty acids, percent moisture loss, and hardness. Sensory evaluations indicate high acceptability due to lower fat content. In conclusion, the extraction of pectin from unripe banana peels proves promising as a fat replacer in bakery items, maintaining muffin quality while addressing fruit waste challenges in the food industry.
Over the last several decades, the European Union (EU) has championed recycling and sustainable waste management through Directives 2008/98/EC and 2018/851, shaping practices across its member states. Currently, 30% of the EU’s municipal waste is recycled, 19% composted, 23% incinerated, and 23% landfilled. However, regional variations exist within the EU, with Greece and other Mediterranean/Balkan nations favoring landfilling, while Germany and other Western/Central EU nations prioritize recycling and composting, and Nordic countries lean toward incineration. To address these differences, a new sustainability point system was created in order to evaluate and compare all different municipal waste management strategies of EU members. Notably, countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden score the highest due to low municipal waste generation, high recycling rates (>35%), minimal landfilling (<1%), and significant incineration. In contrast, Cyprus, Malta, and Greece score lower due to landfill reliance and lower recycling rates. Therefore, this study introduces a novel sustainability point system to mitigate disparities, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and policy initiatives at the national and EU levels. By leveraging these insights, policymakers can allocate resources effectively, foster collaboration, and motivate citizens to achieve common environmental goals as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Appropriate waste generation and management is becoming increasingly important in making food systems more sustainable. It is therefore imperative to both reduce waste generation and sustainably manage the waste that cannot be reduced. However, this is challenging due to the heterogeneity of waste materials, the high economic costs of optimising food systems and the low awareness of the issue in some societies. This article analyses three case studies that explore improvements in waste management in the food sector in Europe, Africa and Asia. The case studies focus on a horticultural cooperative in Spain, a seafood company in Tunisia and municipal waste management in Hong Kong, highlighting different challenges and approaches. Key factors for horticultural waste management include a consistent regulatory framework, appropriate management systems and waste traceability. The article also highlights the potential for valorisation of waste products, such as blue crab by-products, which can be used to obtain polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals. A shift from landfill to anaerobic digestion is also recommended for a more sustainable waste management. By identifying and quantifying waste streams and problematic waste types, alternative solutions can be developed to improve the sustainability of the global food supply chain.
Food waste (FW) has become a global concern, with an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes lost annually, costing about $1 trillion. Environmental and social consequences of FW are significant, contributing to 6% of European Unions’ greenhouse gasemissions and affecting global food security. FW occurs is a complex issue occurring at various stages of the food supply chain (FSC) and is influenced by multiple factors such as infrastructure, available knowledge and socio-economic conditions. Developed countries FW is more prevalent at the consumption stage, whereas in the developing countries losses occur in agricultural production, post-harvest and distribution stage. Accurate quantification of FW across the supply chain is crucial and monitoring key performance indicators helps identify areas for improvement. The European Union mandates FW measurement, aligning with sustainable development goals, emphasizing the need for effective waste prevention measures. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach was utilized to conduct a systematic literature review on FW key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitoring tools. The research identified 22 KPIs, categorized into three levels of the FSC: primary, secondary and tertiary. The most common KPIs included FW per capita, FW per portion and FW percentage. The study further discusses FW prevention measures and essential monitoring tools for addressing FW throughout the supply chain.
The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) Food Waste Index Report 2021 highlights a global annual food waste of 1 billion tons. The UNEP plays a crucial role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, which aims to halve per capita global food waste (FW) at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains globally by 2030. On the other hand, the agricultural sector faces the challenge of increasing productivity to feed the world’s growing population while reducing the environmental impact on ecosystems and human health. In this context, the conversion of agri-food waste (AFW) into biocides, bio-based fertilizers (BBFs) and biostimulants could represent a successful approach to tackle all these issues. This review shows the latest findings on the different sources of AFW and the application of their bioactive compounds in agriculture. Increasing crop yields and improving plant physiology through the utilization of AFW-derived value products aligns with a circular economy approach, bolstering people’s confidence in managing food waste for improved food production.
Dark chocolate is a very popular confectionary product among children, made by combining cocoa (55%) with cocoa butter (7.5%) and sugar (42%) has high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and free-radical scavenging properties. Chocolates also have a high concentration of cocoa and flavanols contents which is very beneficial for human health. The nutritional value of the dark chocolate samples prepared was further enhanced by using unripe banana peel powder. The peel of banana fruit is a waste material, but it also has antioxidant, antibacterial, and antibiotic properties which encourages its use in industries like pharmaceuticals. So, after considering the nutritional value of unripe banana fruit peel, the powder of unripe banana peel was added to the dark chocolate in the concentration of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9% to increase the nutritional value of dark chocolate. The premix powder containing iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 was also added to the dark chocolate samples in the concentration of 2% in all the variants. The nutritional value of chocolate samples made by using unripe banana peel powder and premix increased significantly but the color of the product decreased significantly as the concentration of banana powder increased.
Food waste (FW) is a global problem and a hidden opportunity for the value-added product conversion. Thus, food waste valorization is a growing science toward the waste-to-wealth conversion. FW can be generated either on a domestic or industrial scale, even if a zero-waste policy is practiced, owing to the unavoidable portion of food waste generated during the processing, cooking, and transportation of food materials. Previous studies have reported that FW is a potential sink for valuable bioactive molecules and bioenergy. In addition, earlier reports noted that the application of contemporary and advanced valorization processes for food waste management was limited to developed countries, and a significant portion of FW remained untouched owing to the lack of research in the rest of the global arena. As a result, this comprehensive review scrutinized several vital and advanced options for the sustainable valorization of global food waste, focusing on its prospects and challenges. In particular, this study deciphers the potential of unexplored valorization approaches and integrated biorefinery strategies for the holistic management of global food waste. Owing to the unavoidable waste generation during food processing, handling, and transportation, the sustainable valorization of FW is a phenomenal option for meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). Finally, this review paves the way for adopting sustainable technologies to convert waste into wealth through integrated valorization and biorefinery approaches toward the efficient recycling of global food waste.
The food processing industry is a continuously developing sector that uses innovative technologies to efficiently process food products. During processing, food industries generate substantial amounts of by-products in the form of waste materials. This food waste consists of organic matter rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Improper management of food waste can adversely affect both the environment and human health, leading to environmental pollution and the release of greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, proper food waste management has become an urgent global issue. The presence of bioactive compounds (mainly polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, but also carotenoids, alkaloids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates) in food waste holds the potential to transform them into valuable resources. Several sectors, including food and energy, have recognized food waste as an innovative source. Recently, much emphasis has been placed on optimizing the extraction yield of such bioactive compounds through the utilization of environmentally friendly and sustainable methodologies and solvents. Pulsed electric field (PEF)-assisted extraction is an emerging technique that holds promise for the utilization of waste materials. PEF technology can efficiently optimize the extraction of valuable compounds within a shorter time while minimizing solvent and energy consumption. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of PEF technology and its implications for recovering bioactive compounds from food waste. The integration of innovative technologies like PEF in the food processing industry can play a crucial role in managing food waste sustainably, reducing environmental impact, and harnessing the full potential of bioactive compounds contained in these waste materials. The objective of this critical review is to provide an overview of the utilization of PEF pretreatment for food by-products and to conduct a comparative analysis with other extraction techniques.
Oils derived from plant sources, mainly fixed oils from seeds and essential oil from other parts of the plant, are gaining interest as they are the rich source of beneficial compounds that possess potential applications in different industries due to their preventive and therapeutic actions. The essential oils are used in food, medicine, cosmetics, and agriculture industries as they possess antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Plant based oils contain polyphenols, phytochemicals, and bioactive compounds which show high antioxidant activity. The extractions of these oils are a crucial step in terms of the yield and quality attributes of plant oils. This review paper outlines the different modern extraction techniques used for the extraction of different seed oils, including microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), cold-pressed extraction (CPE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), supercritical-fluid extraction (SFE), enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE), and pulsed electric field-assisted extraction (PEF). For the identification and quantification of essential and bioactive compounds present in seed oils, different modern techniques—such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography–infrared spectroscopy (GC-IR), atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (AFS), and electron microscopy (EM)—are highlighted in this review along with the beneficial effects of these essential components in different in vivo and in vitro studies and in different applications. The primary goal of this research article is to pique the attention of researchers towards the different sources, potential uses and applications of oils in different industries.
The fortification of foods with bioactive polyphenols aims to improve their functional properties and to provide health benefits. Yet, to exert their benefits, phenolic compounds must be released from the food matrix and absorbed by the small intestine after digestion, so assessing their bioaccessibility is crucial to determine their potential role. This work aims to incorporate Citrus reticulata Blanco peel extracts into wheat bread as a promising opportunity to increase their bioactive potential, along with supporting the sustainable management of citrus-industry waste. A control and a wheat bread enriched at 2% and 4% (w/v) with a phenolic extract from mandarin peels were prepared and analyzed for antioxidant activity and phenolic composition using LC-MS and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. In addition, in vitro digestion was performed, and the digested extracts were analyzed with HPLC-MS/MS. The results showed a significant increase in total flavonoid content (TFC, 2.2 ± 0.1 mg·g⁻¹), antioxidant activity (IC50 = 37 ± 4 mg·g⁻¹), and contents of quercetin, caffeic acid, and hesperidin in the 4% (w/v) enriched bread. Yet, most polyphenols were completely degraded after the in vitro digestion process, barring hesperidin (159 ± 36 μg·g⁻¹), highlighting the contribution of citrus enrichment in the development of an enriched bread with antioxidant potential.
The current trend of shifting to food naturalness has prompted food industries to switch from synthetic to natural colorants. Concurrently, there is a spike in interest concerning the extraction of pigments from natural sources using non-conventional extraction techniques as the latter are environmental-friendly and sustainable compared to traditional methods. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) is one of the emerging technologies that has been reported to be effective in the recovery of bioactive compounds from a plethora of natural sources because of its ability to expeditiously heat the extraction matrix, leading to rapid product recovery. This review focuses on the voluminous demand for natural colorants, their limitations, and potential food applications. Also, this review emphasizes the underlying principle and mechanism of MAE, as well as studies that unveil the efficacy and suitability of the technique for the recovery of pigments. Hence, given that natural pigments are susceptible to natural degradation, MAE is a promising technology for enhanced pigment yield and stability. In addition, recent trends such as technology integration and novel extraction solvents have considerably widened the scope and versatility of MAE as a greener extraction method. Furthermore, when coupled with MAE, waste valorization and further exploration of novel pigment sources (such as algae and other microorganisms) present thrust areas of research concerning the global sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The global food production industry faces environmental concerns exacerbated by substantial food waste. European countries are striving to reduce food waste towards a circular bioeconomy and sustainable development. To address environmental issues and reduce plastic waste, researchers are developing sustainable active packaging systems, including edible packaging made from industry residues. These innovations aim to increase food safety and quality, extend shelf life, and reduce plastic and food waste. Particularly important in the context of the growing demand for fresh and minimally processed fruits, edible coatings have emerged as a potential solution that offers numerous advantages in maintaining fruit quality. In addition to fruit, edible coatings have also been investigated for animal-based foods to meet the demand for high-quality, chemical-free food and extended shelf life. These products globally consumed can be susceptible to the growth of harmful microorganisms and spoilage. One of the main advantages of using edible coatings is their ability to preserve meat quality and freshness by reducing undesirable physicochemical changes, such as color, texture, and moisture loss. Furthermore, edible coatings also contribute to the development of a circular bioeconomy, promoting sustainability in the food industry. This paper reviews the antimicrobial edible coatings investigated in recent years in minimally processed fruits and traditional sausages. It also approaches bionanocomposites as a recently emerged technology with potential application in food quality and safety.
Rapid population growth and urbanisation have accelerated waste generation, and effective waste management has become a major challenge worldwide. With advances in technology and management methods, waste management strategies have begun embracing digitalisation, leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, cloud/edge computing, machine learning, 5G communication, and blockchain technologies. Amongst them, the blockchain technology has the structural features of achieving information security and integrity without central guarantees. Blockchain also meets the data record/storage needs of waste management and the design of new mechanisms for effective waste management. These benefits make blockchain an attractive technology in the field of waste management, with researchers and practitioners alike investigating its broad applications to support sustainable waste management. However, this emerging technology has not yet been widely accepted by potential users. To further champion the application of blockchain technology, this review paper provides a systematic overview of the various pathways in which the technology has been applied in the waste management industry and further discusses its related challenges and opportunities via considering the promising prospect of combining blockchain technology with IoT, artificial intelligence (AI) and life cycle assessment (LCA). This review also provides insights for interpreting some emerging applications of blockchain in the field of waste management and clarifying the research paths in the context of blockchain, digitalised waste management, and circular economy.
Around 40% to 60% of municipal solid waste originates from kitchens, offering a valuable resource for compost production. Traditional composting methods such as windrow, vermi-, and bin composting are space-intensive and time-consuming. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) present a promising alternative, requiring less space and offering ease of handling. This research encompasses experimental data collection, life cycle assessment, and machine learning, and employs the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm in an Artificial Neural Network, to optimize kitchen waste treatment using BSFL. Factors such as time, larval population, aeration frequency, waste composition, and container surface area were considered. Results showed that BSFL achieved significant waste reduction, ranging from 70% to 93% by weight and 65% to 85% by volume under optimal conditions. Key findings included a 15-day treatment duration, four times per day aeration frequency, 600 larvae per kilogram of waste, layering during feeding, and kitchen waste as the preferred feed. The larvae exhibited a weight gain of 2.2% to 6.5% during composting. Comparing the quality of BSFL compost to that obtained with conventional methods revealed its superiority in terms of waste reduction (50% to 73% more) and compost quality. Life cycle assessment confirmed the sustainability advantages of BSFL. Machine learning achieved high accuracy of prediction reaching 99.5%.
The agro-food industries produce substantial waste that has an adverse effect on the ecosystem. Nevertheless, these byproducts have abundant polyphenols with various bioactivities. Although conventional extractions (CE) are used for extraction, they require a long extraction time and more solvents, affecting product quality. Hence, this article reviewed emerging thermal extraction technologies (subcritical water, supercritical fluid, microwave, high pressurized liquid extraction, etc.) and their combinative effects (for instance, integrated subcritical-microwave, integrated supercritical fluid-hot-pressurized liquid extraction) that have been applied to extract polyphenols from agro-byproducts in the last 5 years. The fundamental mechanisms, their applications, shortcomings, and future investigations on augmenting these technologies are presented. The review showed that integrating cutting-edge technology could facilitate the development of more polyphenol extraction from agro-byproducts as there are many benefits, including increased extractability, reduced impurities, preserved thermosensitive compounds, and consume low energy. Hence, it is proposed that the next 5 years should explore combined novel thermal extraction technologies. The techno-economic analysis must be considered to fully investigate the implementation of these technologies in the polyphenol extraction from byproducts. Finally, waste valorization can inspire creativity and agro-business creation, particularly when integrated with food industry 4.0.
Valorization of food waste (FW) is instrumental for reducing the environmental and economic burden of FW and transitioning to a circular economy. The FW valorization process has widely been studied to produce various end-use products and summarize them; however, their economic, environmental, and social aspects are limited. This study synthesizes some of the valorization methods used for FW management and produces value-added products for various applications, and also discusses the technological advances and their environmental, economic, and social aspects. Globally, 1.3 billion tonnes of edible food is lost or wasted each year, during which about 3.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas is emitted. The environmental (-347 to 2969 kg CO2 equiv/tonne FW) and economic (-100 to $138/tonne FW) impacts of FW depend on the multiple parameters of food chains and waste management systems. Although enormous efforts are underway to reduce FW as well as valorize unavoidable FW to reduce environmental and economic loss, it seems the transdisciplinary approach/initiative would be essential to minimize FW as well as abate the environmental impacts of FW. A joint effort from stakeholders is the key to reducing FW and the efficient and effective valorization of FW to improve its sustainability. However, any initiative in reducing food waste should consider a broader sustainability check to avoid risks to investment and the environment.
Bioactive compounds, including terpenoids, polyphenols, alkaloids and other nitrogen-containing constituents, exert various beneficial effects arising from their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds can be found in vegetables, fruits, grains, spices and their derived foods and beverages such as tea, olive oil, fruit juices, wine, chocolate and beer. Agricultural production and the food supply chain are major sources of food wastes, which can become resources, as they are rich in bioactive compounds. The aim of this review is to highlight recent articles demonstrating the numerous potential uses of products and by-products of the agro-food supply chain, which can have various applications.
The global amount of solid waste has dramatically increased as a result of rapid population growth, accelerated urbanization, agricultural demand, and industrial development. The world's population is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, while solid waste production will reach 2.59 billion tons. This will deteriorate the already strained environment and climate situation. Consequently, there is an urgent need for methods to recycle solid waste. Here, we review recent technologies to treat solid waste, and we assess the economic feasibility of transforming waste into energy. We focus on municipal, agricultural, and industrial waste. We found that methane captured from landfilled-municipal solid waste in Delhi could supply 8–18 million houses with electricity and generate 7140 gigawatt-hour, with a prospected potential of 31,346 and 77,748 gigawatt-hour by 2030 and 2060, respectively. Valorization of agricultural solid waste and food waste by anaerobic digestion systems could replace 61.46% of natural gas and 38.54% of coal use in the United Kingdom, and could reduce land use of 1.8 million hectares if provided as animal feeds. We also estimated a levelized cost of landfill solid and anaerobic digestion waste-to-energy technologies of 0.07/kilowatt-hour, with a payback time of 0.73–1.86 years and 1.17–2.37 years, respectively. Nonetheless, current landfill waste treatment methods are still inefficient, in particular for treating food waste containing over 60% water.
Industrial cauliflower by-products still represent a no-value food waste, even though they are rich in bioactive compounds. With the aim of valorizing them, optimized special flours rich in glucobrassicin, lutein, β-carotene, and β-sitosterol obtained from leaves, orange and violet stalks were used at 10 and 30% w/w in the formulation of functional leavened bakery. For the first time, the effect of bioactive compounds enrichment in pizza products as well as the rheological properties were evaluated. As results, pizza making process affected the recovery of the bioactive compounds. The recovery of glucobrassicin and carotenoids in pizza depended on the aerial part of cauliflower. Pizza with violet stalks was the richest in glucobrassicin, providing 8.4 mg per portion (200 g). Pizza with leaves showed the highest carotenoid content with a 90% of recovery rate while pizza with orange stalks provided up to 5.8% of the phytosterols health claim requirement. All 10% enriched pizzas revealed viscoelastic and springiness properties similar to the control, contrary to 30% fortification level. Therefore, the use of 10% special flour in pizza should meet both technological industrial processing and consumer acceptance. Orange stalks are the most promising ingredients for high levels of fortification in pizzas.
The improper management of food waste (FW) in developing nations causes environmental and hygienic problems and is a major threat to sustainable development. It is projected that the production of FW will increase by 33% globally over the next 10 years, resulting in an estimated 1.6 billion tons of waste per year and an economic loss of $1.2 trillion, with between 50 and 60% coming from post-consumer sources. Moving from a linear to a circular economy, where waste is a resource for new products like fuels and chemicals, is essential to achieving sustainable waste management. The results of 119 studies published between 2010 and 2024 are compiled in this study, which offers a thorough examination of FW recycling options. These possibilities include the three thermal treatment processes—combustion, pyrolysis, and gasification—that can yield biofuels and biochar. The possibility of converting FW into biofuels, biofertilizers, charcoal, and bioplastics through biological and biochemical processes is also investigated. This study is novel in that it emphasizes decentralized, regionally-specific approaches to managing packaging waste, especially single-use plastics, and connects FW valorization to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN).
Despite the variety of technologies available for the valorization of biowaste, this fraction of municipal solid waste is usually disposed of in landfills and dumpsites in undeveloped and developing countries. The selection of technological strategies compatible with the reality of each location represents an essential role in the success and continuity of the operation of the facilities. The best strategy will result from combining different environmental, economic, social, and technical dimensions, confronted with the interests of the stakeholders and the legal and policy contexts. Due to the complexity of different criteria, alternatives, and interests, a Multi-criteria Decision-making (MCDM) methodology is recommended to ensure the quality of the decision-making process. This study presents a systematic review of publications that have applied multi-criteria analysis as a decision support tool for the selection of biowaste management strategies. The different stages of management are discussed separately, highlighting the change in paradigms over time. It was found that less than a hundred studies have addressed it so far, with Asia contributing to most publications. However, the timeline shows that the number of publications is increasing, with multi-criteria models representing great potential to support decisions at any individual management stage, from preventing food waste to using by-products. Integrated multi-criteria approach that combines all stages of biowaste management, however, is still scarce in the literature.
Food waste (FW) is a valuable resource for anaerobic digestion (AD) due to its biochemical composition. This study aimed to optimize AD using two widely used optimization methods: Response Surface Methodology with Box–Behnken Design (RSM-BBD) and Taguchi orthogonal array L9. Organic load, oxidation–reduction potential, pH, and hydraulic retention time were evaluated for biogas production and volatile solids removal (VSr). The Taguchi method assessed responses based on the signal-to-noise ratio, resulting in optimal conditions for AD. After numerical optimization, the predicted biogas production was 440 mL, and VSr was 19.5%. However, the experimental observations of biogas production were 850 mL, and VSr was 41%. The RSM-BBD method, calculated based on analysis of variance, resulted in optimal conditions for AD, and after numerical optimization, the predicted biogas production was 852 mL, and VSr was 43%. However, the experimental observations of biogas production were 906 mL, and VSr was 44. Despite these results, the study found that Taguchi’s design provided approximate optimization response values and did not allow parameter interaction. In contrast, RSM-BBD provided precise optimal values and details on the impact of individual and combined parameters, making RSM-BBD the preferred choice for optimizing AD systems for better prediction accuracy and reproducibility.
In most cities worldwide, household food waste constitutes a significant portion of municipal solid waste (MSW). However, its management often proves inadequate due to the insufficient resources allocated to waste management systems, the omission of the resource potential in MSW, and the lack of recognition of household food waste drivers for forecasting generation in specific geographical contexts. This research aims to identify social, economic, and environmental variables serving as proxies to forecast household food waste generation. To achieve this, a multiple linear regression model was proposed to assess the relationship between cooking fuel type (i.e., liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, and electricity), land use categories (i.e., commercial, industrial, and residential), population density, expenditure on in-house food consumption, and household food waste generation. Three alternate modeling scenarios were considered based on available data, with Lima, Peru, serving as a case study. The results indicate that the combined consumption of liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas, and electricity consumption, along with residential land use, were the most influential variables. Finally, for a comprehensive understanding of the studied phenomenon, it is crucial to analyze and consider the intricate dynamics of societal consumption patterns.
The worldwide market for vegetable and fruit juices stands as a thriving sector with projected revenues reaching to $81.4 billion by 2024 and an anticipated annual growth rate of 5.27% until 2028. Juices offer a convenient means of consuming bioactive compounds and essential nutrients crucial for human health. However, conventional thermal treatments employed in the juice and beverage industry to inactivate spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, as well as endogenous enzymes, can lead to the degradation of bioactive compounds and vitamins. In response, non-thermal technologies have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional heat processing, with pulsed electric field (PEF) technology standing out as an innovative and sustainable choice. In this context, this comprehensive review investigated the impact of PEF on the microbiological, physicochemical, functional, nutritional, and sensory qualities of vegetable and fruit juices. PEF induces electroporation phenomena in cell membranes, resulting in reversible or irreversible changes. Consequently, a detailed examination of the effects of PEF process variables on juice properties is essential. Monitoring factors such as electric field strength, frequency, pulse width, total treatment time, and specific energy is important to ensure the production of a safe and chemically/kinetically stable product. PEF technology proves effective in microbial and enzymatic inactivation within vegetable and fruit juices, mitigating factors contributing to deterioration while maintaining the physicochemical characteristics of these products. Furthermore, PEF treatment does not compromise the content of substances with functional, nutritional, and sensory properties, such as phenolic compounds and vitamins. When compared to alternative processing methods, such as mild thermal treatments and other non-thermal technologies, PEF treatment consistently demonstrates comparable outcomes in terms of physicochemical attributes, functional properties, nutritional quality, and overall safety.
Food waste is a global challenge that threatens the sustainable development of human societies. Although food waste is produced in all stages of the food supply chain, household food waste is the biggest contributor to the food waste fraction. In this research, we systematically reviewed 54 empirical studies to explore drivers and barriers to household food waste reduction and prevention. Key aspects, such as comprehension and perception of food waste issues, practices and lifestyles, were examined. Our findings suggest that a great understanding of the impact of one's food waste on health, environment and economy directly promotes food waste management. Additionally, the food waste issue is not attributed to a single factor, it may differ varies across countries. The majority of the reviewed literature on household food waste comes from European countries, where similar geographical, economic and cultural characteristics may lead to comparable drivers and barriers. This could be the reason for showing optimistic experience to the respective food waste management interventions. However, the applicability of these findings and interventions to regions beyond Europe are uncertain. Future studies should also be expanded to include regions such as Asia, North America, Africa, Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean. To support the sustainable management of household food waste, mapping country-specific food waste determinants is crucial in developing easy-to-implement food waste interventions that can specifically address the food waste issue in each country.
Food processing industries categorized as fast pace growing sectors, owe to rise in demand of food to mitigate hunger and demand of nutritious food to contribute in growth of healthy nation. Presently, about one third of fresh harvest is wasted among food processing chain hence discarded as landfill and in marine. FAO in its report stated that about 805 million people across the world suffers from hunger and sidewise we discarded the waste food of 126 million tons in 2020, globally. Industrial input to shift this discarded mass to quality term is one and all significant contribution within this stream to potentially identify, recover, and hence reutilize them is the only wayout. This could only be possible owe to carbon and nitrogen availability in proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, micronutrients, bioactive, and other dietary structures. If discarded in environment, create huge nuisance (pollution and diseases). This review presents succinct information on the production of variety of wastes from various processing industries at first. Secondly, various tactics involved in sustainable management of food waste as well as the challenges associated with these treatments also presented herein detail. In short, this review is a compilation dealing in recovery of various value-added byproducts like phytochemicals, bio-preservatives, dietary fibers, colorants, nutraceuticals, bioactive compounds and biofuel production.
One-third of food produced results as food waste, with no organized and sustainable disposal, and ends up in landfills. Garden waste is yet another significant waste experiencing improper disposal or burning. The present study aims to assess the effect of different pretreatment processes in biogas production from anaerobic digestion of food waste and its co-digestion with garden waste. Feedstock is subjected to thermal and or extrusion pretreatment. A combination of both is the proposed novel sequential hybrid pretreatment method. Feedstock is rich in cellulose I, II, and di/monosaccharides, where pretreatment altered the characteristics and morphology with a steady neutral pH indicating stability. The resultant feedstock exhibited the absence of cellulose II and reduced disaccharides. An average of 0.25 times increase in biogas production is observed with individual thermal and extrusion pretreatment than the conventional digestion. Sequential hybrid pretreated feedstock yielded maximum biogas of 730 and 430 mL/g VSfed in mono digestion and co-digestion over its conventional counterparts. In this study, the modified Gompertz model (R2 of 0.98) is suitable over the first-order kinetics model. Results conclude that sequential hybrid pretreatment leads to significant breakage of complex organic matter in substrates aiding in the efficient digestion process and biogas generation.
Many consumers are incorporating more plant-based foods into their diets as a result of concerns about the environmental, ethical, and health impacts of animal sourced foods like meat, seafood, egg, and dairy products. Foods derived from animals negatively impact the environment by increasing greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water use, pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. The livestock industry confines and slaughters billions of livestock animals each year. There are concerns about the negative impacts of some animal sourced foods, such as red meat and processed meat, on human health. The livestock industry is a major user of antibiotics, which is leading to a rise in the resistance of several pathogenic microorganisms to antibiotics. It is often assumed that a plant-based diet is healthier than one containing more animal sourced foods, but this is not necessarily the case. Eating more fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grain cereals has been linked to improved health outcomes but it is unclear whether next-generation plant-based foods, such as meat, seafood, egg, and dairy analogs are healthier than the products they are designed to replace. Many of these new products are highly processed foods that contain high levels of saturated fat, sugar, starch, and salt, and low levels of micronutrients, nutraceuticals, and dietary fibers. Moreover, they are often rapidly digested in the gastrointestinal tract because processing disrupts plant tissues and releases the macronutrients. Consequently, it is important to formulate plant-based foods to reduce the levels of nutrients linked to adverse health effects and increase the levels linked to beneficial health effects. Moreover, it is important to design the food matrix so that the macronutrients are not digested and absorbed too quickly, but the micronutrients are highly bioavailable. In this article, we discuss how next-generation plant-based foods can be made healthier by controlling their nutrient profile, digestibility, and bioavailability.
Producing food by farming and subsequent food manufacturing are central to the world's food supply, accounting for more than half of all production. Production is, however, closely related to the creation of large amounts of organic wastes or byproducts (agro-food waste or wastewater) that negatively impact the environment and the climate. Global climate change mitigation is an urgent need that necessitates sustainable development. For that purpose, proper agro-food waste and wastewater management are essential, not only for waste reduction but also for resource optimization. To achieve sustainability in food production, biotechnology is considered as key factor since its continuous development and broad implementation will potentially benefit ecosystems by turning polluting waste into biodegradable materials; this will become more feasible and common as environmentally friendly industrial processes improve. Bioelectrochemical systems are a revitalized, promising biotechnology integrating microorganisms (or enzymes) with multifaceted applications. The technology can efficiently reduce waste and wastewater while recovering energy and chemicals, taking advantage of their biological elements' specific redox processes. In this review, a consolidated description of agro-food waste and wastewater and its remediation possibilities, using different bioelectrochemical-based systems is presented and discussed together with a critical view of the current and future potential applications.
The rising demands of the growing population have raised two significant global challenges viz. energy crisis and solid-waste management, ultimately leading to environmental deterioration. Agricultural waste (agro-waste) contributes to a large amount of globally produced solid waste, contaminating the environment, and raising human-health issues on improper management. It is essential for a circular economy to meet sustainable development goals and to design strategies to convert agro-waste into energy using nanotechnology-based processing strategies, by addressing the two significant challenges. This review illustrates the nano-strategic aspects of state-of-the-art agro-waste applications for energy harvesting and storage. It details the fundamentals related to converting agro-waste into energy resources in the form of green nanomaterials, biofuels, biogas, thermal energy, solar energy, triboelectricity, green hydrogen, and energy storage modules in supercapacitors and batteries. Besides, it highlights the challenges associated with agro-waste-to-green energy modules with their possible alternate solutions and advanced prospects. This comprehensive review will serve as a fundamental structure to guide future research on smart agro-waste management and nanotechnological innovations dedicated to its utilization for green energy applications without harming the environment. The nanomaterials assisted generation and storage of energy from agro-waste is touted to be the near-future of smart solid-waste management strategy for green and circular economy.
