High-Value Processing and Utilization of Agro-Food Resources

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 6012

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Av. Artículo 123 s/n, Fracc. Filadelfia, Gómez Palacio 35010, Durango, México
Interests: food processing; food analysis; dietary fiber; bioactive compounds; carbohydrate polymers; processes optimization

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of the Balearic Islands, Ctra. Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Interests: food processing; bioactive polysaccharides; dietary fiber; antioxidants; processes optimization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The modern food industry increasingly prioritizes sustainability due to environmental concerns and resource scarcity. Agro-food resources, once considered waste, are now recognized as valuable materials for creating a more sustainable food production system, aligning with the principles of the circular economy. Green technologies and innovative methodologies are crucial for harnessing the potential of these resources. Through various extraction processes, fermentation techniques, and biorefinery concepts, bioactive compounds such as antioxidants and plant polysaccharides can be extracted to formulate functional foods and nutraceuticals. Optimizing processes to maximize efficiency and yield is a significant challenge, driving the development of cost-effective and environmentally sustainable processing techniques. Incorporating valuable compounds obtained from a wide range of food resources into food formulations would reduce our reliance on virgin raw materials, thereby lowering production costs and environmental impacts. This approach also mitigates agricultural environmental issues, promoting a closed-loop system of resource upcycling. By adopting these practices, the food industry can enhance sustainability and resource efficiency, thereby developing innovative and resilient food products in line with the principles of the circular economy.

This Special Issue will showcase original research articles and reviews describing current findings on green or emerging methodologies used for the recovery of various bioactive compounds, including dietary fibers, cell-wall polymers, and antioxidant compounds, from agro-food resources, including by-products, as well as their application for developing new food products. We invite authors to submit articles that explore different aspects of bioactive compound recovery from agro-food resources.

Prof. Dr. José Rafael Minjares-Fuentes
Dr. Antoni Femenia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • agro-food resources
  • agro-food by-products
  • circular economy
  • green technologies
  • emergent technologies
  • biorefinery processes
  • functional foods
  • nutraceuticals
  • dietary fiber
  • bioactive compounds
  • plant polysaccharides
  • antioxidant compounds

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

24 pages, 3957 KiB  
Review
Circular Bioeconomy in Action: Transforming Food Wastes into Renewable Food Resources
by Priti Pal, Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Rajesh Kumar Srivastava, Saurabh Singh Rathore, Uttam Kumar Sahoo, Sanjukta Subudhi, Prakash Kumar Sarangi and Piotr Prus
Foods 2024, 13(18), 3007; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13183007 - 23 Sep 2024
Viewed by 5272
Abstract
The growing challenge of food waste management presents a critical opportunity for advancing the circular bioeconomy, aiming to transform waste into valuable resources. This paper explores innovative strategies for converting food wastes into renewable food resources, emphasizing the integration of sustainable technologies and [...] Read more.
The growing challenge of food waste management presents a critical opportunity for advancing the circular bioeconomy, aiming to transform waste into valuable resources. This paper explores innovative strategies for converting food wastes into renewable food resources, emphasizing the integration of sustainable technologies and zero-waste principles. The main objective is to demonstrate how these approaches can contribute to a more sustainable food system by reducing environmental impacts and enhancing resource efficiency. Novel contributions of this study include the development of bioproducts from various food waste streams, highlighting the potential of underutilized resources like bread and jackfruit waste. Through case studies and experimental findings, the paper illustrates the successful application of green techniques, such as microbial fermentation and bioprocessing, in valorizing food wastes. The implications of this research extend to policy frameworks, encouraging the adoption of circular bioeconomy models that not only address waste management challenges but also foster economic growth and sustainability. These findings underscore the potential for food waste to serve as a cornerstone in the transition to a circular, regenerative economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Value Processing and Utilization of Agro-Food Resources)
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