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28 Bioconversion of Food Waste to Wealth – Circular Bioeconomy Approach

Production

Processing

Retail

Household

Institutional

Wasted

Consumed

Foodservice

Figure 28.1

Simplified model for generation of food waste through the food supply chain.

Source: Read et al. [3].

apple pomace, and rapeseed meal. Conventional agro-food waste disposal methods

such as landfilling, composting, and incineration cannot reduce the adverse impact

it has on environmental and social issues. The perspectives on economic and societal

issues add pressure to the food industries to achieve zero waste. Adequate measures

and integrated strategies need to be focused on minimization of food waste and val-

orization of unavoidable food waste [5]. Novel waste valorization technologies such

as thermal, chemical, and bioconversion methods add marketable value to the food

waste. Transformation of food waste into valuable products can reduce the produc-

tion cost and environmental pollution [5, 6]. Agricultural and food processing waste

are excellent renewable feed stock for bioconversion of high-value bioproducts such

as enzymes, pigments, organic acids, bioactive compounds, and biodegradable plas-

tics. Research on food waste management over the past decades mainly focuses the

operational conditions on waste treatment and disposal methods to produce energy

and bioproducts. In addition to this, there is a need for interdisciplinary collabora-

tion among the scientists, economists, and policy makers to search new solution for

food waste valorization in an attempt to address the emerging bioeconomy.

28.2

Circular Bioeconomy

Circular economy aims to conserve the value of products, materials, and resources

for a long period by enhancing the efficiency of resource utilization and reducing

waste generation. Circular economy increases the efficiency of resource utilization

by transforming the industry byproduct into resource for second industry, thereby