Abstract
According to the Food Wastage Footprint and Climate Change Report, about 15% of all fruits and 25% of all vegetables are wasted at the base of the food production chain. The significant losses and wastes in the fresh and processing industries is becoming a serious environmental issue, mainly due to the microbial degradation impacts. There has been a recent surge in research and innovation related to food, packaging, and pharmaceutical applications to address these problems. The underutilized wastes (seed, skin, rind, and pomace) potentially present good sources of valuable bioactive compounds, including functional nutrients, amylopectin, phytochemicals, vitamins, enzymes, dietary fibers, and oils. Fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW) are rich in nutrients and extra nutritional compounds that contribute to the development of animal feed, bioactive ingredients, and ethanol production. In the development of active packaging films, pectin and other biopolymers are commonly used. In addition, the most recent research studies dealing with FVW have enhanced the physical, mechanical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of packaging and biocomposite systems. Innovative technologies that can be used for sensitive bioactive compound extraction and fortification will be crucial in valorizing FVW completely; thus, this article aims to report the progress made in terms of the valorization of FVW and to emphasize the applications of FVW in active packaging and biocomposites, their by-products, and the innovative technologies (both thermal and non-thermal) that can be used for bioactive compounds extraction.
Highlights
Food waste (FW) is already acknowledged as a major global issue that threatens the long-term viability of the food supply chain [1]
The results showed that the addition of grape skins and acerola residues to the cassava thermoplastic starch resulted in better antioxidant characteristics
This review focuses on recent advances in biocomposites, active packaging, and by-products and the innovative technologies used for bioactive compound extraction
Summary
Food waste (FW) is already acknowledged as a major global issue that threatens the long-term viability of the food supply chain [1]. FW in the European Union is estimated to be at 89 million tonnes per year. This is expected to rise by 40% in the four years [2]. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [3] and the International Food Policy Research Institute [4] estimated one-third of food produced globally, or 1.3 billion tonnes, is thrown away each year. By 2030, SDG Target 12.3 calls for the reduction by half of the per-capita global FW at retail and consumer levels, diminishing food losses in production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses [7]. The call was agreed to by all 193 UN member states, which comes as no surprise
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
