Abstract
Discharge of waste in general, and food waste, in particular, is considered one of the major environmental problems today, as waste generation increases continuously, reaching values of 32% of all food produced worldwide. There are many different options that can be applied to the management and evaluation of waste treatment, and Anaerobic Digestion seems to be one of the most suitable solutions because of its benefits, including renewable energy generation in form of biogas. Moreover, if FW (food waste) is digested in anaerobic digesters from Waste Water Treatment Plants, a common solution is provided for both residues. Furthermore, co-digestion of food waste and sewage sludge provides benefits in terms of anaerobic process stability enhancing the buffer capacity of ammonia (for example) and biogas formation, which can be increased up to 80% when compared with monodigestion. The present paper reviews food waste anaerobic digestion from its generation, characteristics and different options for its management, and it does focus specifically on the anaerobic digestion and co-digestion process, stages, limiting rates and parameters, utilizing numerous experiences, strictly related to food waste. Pre-treatments are also considered as they are important and innovative for enhancing biogas production and its methane yield. The paper shows an extensive collection of pre-treatments, its basics, improving factors, and numerical data of biogas formation improvements that are related both to substrate modification and to the synergistic effect of co-digestion, which could lead to an increase of methane production from 11% to 180%.
Highlights
Materials, intended or not, for human consumption that are discharged, lost, degraded, contaminated, or eliminated from the food supply chain (FSC), as well as the previous or forward stages and operations are known as food loss (FL) and food waste (FW) [1]
Most of the studies reported that mono-digestion of FW was not sufficient and limited due to lack of nutrients and metal traces, and the inhibition that is created by the accumulation of ammonia and volatile fatty acids (VFA), resulting in the high biodegradability and protein and lipid content [182,183,184]
Due to the origin and composition diversity of FW, which gives specific properties to them, a well-known characterisation is needed to combine them in the correct proportion to enhance biogas production and stability of the process
Summary
Materials, intended or not, for human consumption that are discharged, lost, degraded, contaminated, or eliminated from the food supply chain (FSC), as well as the previous or forward stages and operations are known as food loss (FL) and food waste (FW) [1]. 2020, set in this directive, are: the traditional point of view from residues as “waste to eliminate”, to perceive them as a new “by 2020, the preparing for re-use and the recycling of waste materials [...], shall be increased to a resource for other uses, including industrial ones. Mainly composed of non-edible materials, separated from feedstocks They are completely different in composition from FW generated in the final step of food supply chain (markets), where other material fractions are included, such as glass, metals, paper, plastics, and so forth, which stem from packaging. FW, each one with own compositions mainly of non-edible materials,had separated from feedstocks They areits completely different and characteristics, depending on its origin, geographical location, social behaviours, habits, and local in composition from FW generated in the final step of food supply chain (markets), where other products [35]. In the case of FW, the entire economic sector achieves benefits from circular economy: Primary sector (farming, agriculture . . . ), secondary sector (If residues are intended for producing biomaterials), and tertiary sector (markets and retail facilities)
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