Upcycling of Food By-Products and Waste: Nonthermal Green Extractions and Life Cycle Assessment Approach

Abstract

Food loss and waste constitute a substantial threat to global food system sustainability, representing 38% of energy consumption in the supply chain. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights a vision integrating social, economic, and environmental pillars. Addressing environmental impact requires recycling (destruction for new creations) and upcycling (converting waste into valuable products). This review highlights nonthermal green extractions and sustainable techniques in upcycling raw materials such as olives, red beetroot, sugar beet, and coffee, which are widely used in the food industry. Nonthermal processing efficiently extracts bioactive compounds and utilizes waste. Key approaches for its valorization include life cycle assessment, environmental footprint analysis, energy efficiency strategies, digitalization, and sustainability considerations. However, challenges remain in calculating their environmental impact. Waste and by-product valorization from raw materials address disposal issues, offering economic and environmental benefits. Nonthermal techniques show optimistic opportunities in green extraction and sustainable upcycling. The focus is on raw materials including olives, red beetroot, sugar beet, and coffee byproducts, and possible product development. There are powerful connections offering industry tools for impactful sustainability management and guiding decisions on waste-to-value or ‘upcycling’ products. The review contributes to filling the gap in usage of nonthermal processing in upcycling of waste and by-products.