34.5 Biochemicals

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sectors of meat, fish, dairy, wine and vegetables at the European level [17]. Three

main issues that were supposed to be addressed by this initiative were regulatory

issues, technological aspects, market potential and requirements of agro-food

industrial wastes to propose a global R&D strategy.

REFRESH is a European Union H2020 funded research project involving 26 part-

ners from 12 European countries and China with the objective of significantly reduc-

ing the food wastage at all steps in the agri-food processing chain and also maximiz-

ing the valorization to beneficial products [18].

SIVEQ short for Sistema Integrato per la Valorizzazionedelle Eccedenze Alimenta-

rinel Quartiere, “Integrated system for the valorization of surplus food in the district”

in English, is a data acquisition platform with a web interface which aims for the

redistribution of food before it turns unfit for human consumption [19] using a sys-

tematic approach of IoT and Big Data Analysis [20].

A collaborative project called “New Advances in the Integrated Management

of Food Processing Waste in India and Europe” (NAMASTE-EU) between India

and European Union (European Commission, 2010–2013) which is worth €1.5 M

has proven to be effective. The project in co-ordination between Department of

Biotechnology, Government of India and seven partners from six European coun-

tries including three companies is focusing on valorization of citrus byproducts,

mango, pomegranate, rice bran and wheat bran processing.

Many worldwide initiatives have brought the importance of agri-food valorization

into limelight.

34.4

Composition-Based Solutions and Approaches

Majority of AFWs contain starch, cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectin, soluble sugars

such as glucose, fructose and sucrose, proteins, lipids [21], lignin and antioxidants

[6]. The valorization approach and application largely depend on the initial chem-

ical constituents of AFW’s. Fatty acid methyl esters are the common biochemicals

recovered from wastes rich in lipids. Extraction of organic acids from volatile fatty

acids [22] is also possible. High cellulosic wastes or sugars have the potential for con-

version into ethanol, butanol, acetone, etc., via fermentation and bioactive peptides

can be recovered from high-protein wastes.

The current chapter will delve into different approaches of agri-food valorization

with applications in biochemicals and bioplastics. Biological solutions involving

production of biochemicals, enzymes, food/feed supplements, thermochemical and

microbial solutions of generating energy have also been dealt. Cursory reference

has also been made with respect to applications in food, feed supplements, cos-

metics, food pharmaceutical industries and also for fuels and energy employing

thermochemical and microbial methods.

34.5

Biochemicals

Biochemicals are plant-derived chemicals having commercial value and are increas-

ingly gaining importance in human, animal health and nutrition being protective