Food Processing Waste Research Articles

Sustainable Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Value-Added Lignan from Sesame Meal: Achieving Green Neuroprotection and Waste Valorization by Optimizing Temperature, Solvent, and Pressure

In pursuing sustainable health solutions and growing demand for neuroprotective interventions, the industry demands alternative green extraction technologies to valorize agri-food by-products. This study aimed to develop an optimized supercritical carbon dioxide extraction to isolate sesame meal’s functional compound (lignans) and assess their neuroprotective effects. Extraction was performed at various pressures (2–4 kpsi), temperatures (40–60 °C), co-solvent concentrations (2–25 mol% ethanol), and CO2 collection segments (0–100 NL) to systematically analyze extraction parameters. Extracts were analyzed quantitatively using high-performance liquid chromatography followed by neuroprotective mechanisms analysis through PC12 neural cell and ischemic stroke models. The results showed that adding ethanol enhanced the polarity and density of supercritical CO2, improving the extraction efficiency of polar lignans. Optimal extraction conditions (4 kpsi, 50 °C, 10 mol% ethanol) yielded the highest sesamol, sesamin, and sesamolin. Extracts showed remarkable protective capabilities when subjected to oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) conditions simulating ischemic stress, preventing the enhancement of lactate dehydrogenase activity. Relatively low extract concentrations (25–100 μg/mL) significantly mitigated cellular damage induced by short and extended OGD conditions. The findings revealed green extraction methodologies’ capability to transform sesame meal, a food processing waste, into value-added compounds, in line with sustainable development goals for responsible and sustainable food production, particularly SDGs 3, 9, 12, and 13.

Selection Path for Energy-Efficient Food Waste Management in Urban Areas: Scenario Analysis and Insights from Poland

The problem of food being wasted in households has become an essential challenge in recent years. Food waste can be valorized in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, including as a source of energy. This study analyses the potential of anaerobic fermentation, pyrolysis, ethanol fermentation, incineration, and composting to treat food waste, focusing on its energy yield. This research considered two potential scenarios for generating food waste in Poland in both the near term (2030) and the long term (2050). Scenarios were proposed for regions with different levels of urbanization and demographic trends. The criteria for the selection of technologies for the energy-efficient processing of food waste from households in Poland were identified, taking into account the current state of these technologies, their prospective development, demographic changes, the nature of the regions, the trajectory of food waste generation, the spatial food waste generation rate, and the energy potential. Technologies like methane fermentation and thermochemical methods should be developed in densely populated areas with a high spatial food waste generation rate. Among the thermochemical processes, fast pyrolysis will provide the most significant energy benefits, followed by moderate pyrolysis and biocarbonization—at similar levels. Incineration is placed between carbonization and gasification. In less populated areas with lower spatial food waste generation rates, combining substrates with co-processing food waste and green waste should be considered. Biocarbonization systems can be integrated with composting in rural regions.

Pengendalian Lingkungan: Pengaruh Edukasi Pengolahan Sampah Organik Rumah Tangga Menggunakan Metode TAKAKURA

The amount of food waste and leaves generated in the city of Bandung in 2021 was 1,430.04 tons per day and will continue to increase in 2024 by 1,796.51 tons per day. This condition needs to be controlled, so that it does not cause waste problems in the city of Bandung. In light of these conditions, a team of lecturers from the Urban and Regional Planning Study Program at the Universitas Islam Bandung educated the community on the processing of food and household waste, aiming to enable the community to convert organic waste into a more beneficial resource while preventing environmental pollution, including its potential reuse as fertilizer. In order to achieve the goal of educating the community, the team conducted education on organic waste processing using the Takakura method, together with 29 women of the Ta'lim Abu Bakar Assembly at RT 001 RW 012 Sekejati Village - Buahbatu District. Service activities include 7 (seven) stages, namely planning, coordination, socialization, Pre-Test, education about waste, assistance in making products and evaluation of activities (Post-Test). In the core activity, before the presentation on the understanding of waste management using the Takakura Method, PkM participants were given a questionnaire to find out their understanding of waste and its processing system. Subsequently, the presentation of material and compost making practices using the Takakura Method was carried out, and ended with an evaluation of activities (Post-Test) with the distribution of questionnaires. The results of the PkM activity include an increase in the understanding of PkM participants from 60% to 77% after education. The highest understanding of participants in the types of organic waste and 3R waste sorting was 93%. In addition, PkM participants were also very active during the activity and continued the activity of making kompok (waste processing) using the Takakura Method in their respective homes. So it is hoped that PkM activities can help the community better understand waste sorting, the importance of sorting organic waste, a cleaner environment, and the realization of sustainability.

Using Food Industry Byproduct to Stabilize an Expansive Clay

The process of purifying agricultural products, at various food processing plants, generates waste materials that consist of precipitated calcium carbonate, organic debris, and trace amounts of soil and agricultural contaminants. A specific food-processing waste, hereafter referred to as a food industry byproduct, FIBP, is typically stockpiled on land adjacent to the corresponding food processing facilities due to its large volume and chemical composition. The FIBP also contains commercially available unspent lime products, which makes its reuse viable in various applications. An example is construction applications where an organic content of up to 5% by weight is allowed, such as treating expansive clays. Traditionally, lime stabilization has been used for improving the properties of expansive clays, where ground improvement methods are necessary for a large area. However, the process of producing lime is resource- and energy-intensive as it includes crushing and heating limestone in kilns to extract lime. Therefore, one specific doubly sustainable application is the treatment of expansive clays using the FIBP instead of lime. The main application tested here is the treatment of expansive clayey soils underneath a stretch of State Highway 95 near Marsing, ID. Other potential applications are in road and embankment construction. To evaluate the potential of expansive clay stabilization utilizing the FIBP, a series of geotechnical and environmental laboratory testing were conducted to measure the engineering properties (e.g., swell potential, permeability, and strength properties) of expansive clay amended with FIBP. Preliminary testing on blends with an expansive clay suggests benefits such as decreased swelling potential, increased density, and leachate immobilization.

Production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from agricultural and food processing wastes

Production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from agricultural and food processing wastes

Potential of composting food waste using sheep and bat manure with open windrow method at IPB Darmaga Campus

Abstract Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) is one of the educational institutions in Indonesia that also has a role in generating solid waste. Food waste production amounted to 379.55 kg per day from the total amount of solid waste at IPB Darmaga Campus. Food waste that is only collected at the Cikabayan Sorting House and not processed further can pollute the environment. Therefore, processing with composting is needed. The research aims to analyze the characteristics and quality of compost, determine the best composition of compost, and analyze the potential in reducing food waste at IPB Darmaga Campus from processing food waste with a mixture of animal manure (sheep and bats) and Bio-Hara Plus activator. Composting was carried out aerobically with the open windrow method for eight weeks. Six compost variations were made with the addition of materials in the campus environment that were given the same treatment. The results showed that the characteristics and quality of compost such as colour, volume, temperature, pH, moisture content, C-Organic, N-Total, and C/N ratio were in accordance with SNI 19-7030-2004. The best compost quality was found in variation F3 and F1 (four and eight weeks) and potential to reduce 4% (F3) and 43% (F1) food waste at IPB Darmaga Campus.

Large-scale commercial-grade volatile fatty acids production from sewage sludge and food waste: A holistic environmental assessment.

The valorization of sewage sludge and food waste to produce energy and fertilizers is a well-stablished strategy within the circular economy. Despite the success of numerous laboratory-scale experiments in converting waste into high-value products such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs), large-scale implementation remains limited due to various technical and environmental challenges. Here, we evaluate the environmental performance of a hypothetical large-scale VFAs biorefinery located in Galicia, Spain, which integrates fermentation and purification processes to obtain commercial-grade VFAs based on primary data from pilot plant operations. We identify potential environmental hotspots, assess the influence of different feedstocks, and perform sensitivity analyses on critical factors like transportation distances and pH control methods, using life cycle assessment. Our findings reveal that, on a per-product basis, food waste provides superior environmental performance compared to sewage sludge, which, conversely, performs better when assessed per mass of waste valorized. This suggests that higher process productivity from more suitable wastes leads to lower environmental impacts but must be balanced against increased energy and chemical consumption, as food waste processing requires more electricity for pretreatment and solid-liquid separation. Further analysis reveals that the main operational impacts are chemical-related, primarily due to the use of NaOH for pH adjustment. Additionally, facility location is critical, potentially accounting for up to 99% of operational impacts due to transportation. Overall, our analysis demonstrates that the proposed VFAs biorefinery has a carbon footprint comparable to other bio-based technologies. However, enhancements in VFAs purification processes are necessary to fully replace petrochemical production. These findings highlight the potential of waste valorization into VFAs as a sustainable alternative, emphasizing the importance of process optimization and strategic facility placement.

Technical Feasibility Analysis of Processing Food Waste into Organic Fertilizer with Black Soldier Fly Composting Method

Food waste is a major issue in Indonesia, accounting for 41.97% of waste generated. This untreated waste can lead to the production of greenhouse gases. However, food waste has the potential to be composted due to its high nutrient content. The purpose of this study was to analyze the technical feasibility of processing food waste using the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) composting method for organic fertilizer production. The study used variations of fish waste and reject milk as composting mixtures, with percentages of 100% food waste, 70% food waste and 30% cow manure, and 30% food waste and 70% fish waste. The dimensions of the BSF composting reactor were 56 cm x 43 cm x 20 cm. The research was conducted for 15 days with the addition of local microorganisms (MoL) to accelerate the degradation process. Various parameters such as pH, moisture content, C-Organic, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were analyzed. The results showed that all variations met the required compost quality standards, it which was technically feasible to be used as organic fertilizer using the BSF composting method. The results of this study can improve the circular economy because compost and bsf larvae products have many benefits if traded.

An Overview on Prospects of Biotransformation of Organic Waste: The Fuel of Future

Organic wastes can come straight from the source or be derived from MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) or food processing waste. Municipal organic waste primarily consists of lignocelluloses. It is widely known that the high stability of the components makes lignocellulose hydrolysis ineffective. Environmentally acceptable and effective alternatives to landfilling and incineration for the treatment of organic pollutants include thermal disintegration and biological treatment methods. However, the qualities of the waste also play a role in this. Anaerobic digestion, followed by aerobic stabilisation, biogas production, and anaerobic digestion allow for the co-generation of electrical and thermal energy as well as the manufacture of premium natural fertiliser. Enzymatic hydrolysis is the initial stage of a valorisation process to improve the production of fuels through fermentations. In this regard, MOW pre-treatment is essential to boost the effectiveness of biological processes. In this paper, several organic wastes, pre-treatment processes and microbial degradation techniques are reviewed and analysed. Also, the limitations of various techniques are pointed out. The fundamental scientific features are highlighted and details are given on the technological parameters. An insight towards challenges faced in biodegradation of lignocellulosic waste material is provided. Researches reveal the fact that there is vast hope in the availability of sugars after pre-treatment which may be very crucial for biofuel generation.

Eggshell‐Based Unconventional Biomaterials for Medical Applications

Eggshells are one of the most abundant byproducts of food processing waste. Each discarded eggshell represents a missed opportunity to convert a no‐cost waste material into a valuable product. Beyond their economic practicality and widespread availability, eggshells possess unique biological and chemical properties that support cell differentiation. Their composition includes biologically active compounds, essential trace elements, and collagenous and noncollagenous elements, mimicking the components of bones, teeth, and skin. Additionally, eggshells serve as a suitable precursor for synthesizing hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and β‐tricalcium phosphate. Eggshells can be utilized on their own or as derived materials to produce regenerative biocomposite scaffolds for tissue engineering. These scaffolds often exhibit high porosity, excellent biocompatibility, degradability, and mechanical properties. Eggshells and their derivatives have also been employed as carriers for targeted drug delivery systems and in electrochemical biosensors. Eggshells serve as a versatile biomaterial, adept at not only addressing practical gaps but also bridging the divide between sophistication and ease of production. In this review, the chemical composition of eggshells and their numerous applications in hard and soft tissue regeneration, biomolecule delivery, and biosensor development are discussed highlighting their innovative and unconventional use as a natural biomaterial providing solutions for unmet clinical needs.

Promoting effect of ammonia oxidation on sulfur oxidation during composting: Nitrate as a bridge

Ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are the main odor components in the composting process. Controlling their emissions is very important to reduce environmental pollution and improve the quality of composting products. This study explored the effects of functional bacteria on nitrogen and sulfur metabolism in the composting process of food waste (FW) by adding ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB, A treatment), sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB, S treatment), and combined AOB and SOB (AS treatment), respectively. The key bacterial species involved in nitrogen and sulfur transformation were identified, and the intrinsic mechanisms by which ammonia oxidation drove sulfur oxidation during composting were deciphered. Compared with control treatment (CK), the combined addition of functional microorganisms increased the maximum of soxB gene abundance by 1.72 times, thus resulting in the increase in the SO42- content by 44.00 %. AS treatment decreased the cumulative H2S emission and total sulfur (TS) loss by 40.24 % and 34.69 %, respectively, meanwhile lowering NH3 emission. Correlation network analysis showed that the simultaneous addition of AOB and SOB enhanced the correlation between microorganisms and sulfur oxidation genes, and Acinetobacter, Aeribacillus, Brevibacterium and Ureibacillus might be involved in the ammonia oxidation-promoted sulfur oxidation process. In summary, the optimized inoculation strategy of AOB and SOB could drive biological transformation of nitrogen and sulfur by regulating microbial community, ultimately reducing odor emissions and improving sulfur conservation.

Vision-based sorting in mixed food-inorganic waste stream

Processing food waste is crucial for environmental conservation and resource recovery, but inadequate sorting can lead to inorganic waste mixing with food waste. The mixed waste stream reduces the efficiency of food waste treatment facilities, and the preliminary sorting relies heavily on manual labor. To address the challenge of a non-homogeneous food-inorganic waste stream, this study proposes a vision-based system for effective sorting. A real-life Mixed Food-Inorganic Waste (MFIW) dataset containing over 13,000 samples and four categories of inorganic waste was created. Based on the dataset analysis, a Waste detection model using Deformable Convolution v3 was employed, and the appropriate positioning and classification algorithm was chosen for optimal detection performance. The Waste detection model achieves an mAP50 of 85.21 %, and the average recalls for packages, trash bags, and animal bones exceed 94 %. Additionally, the model runs at a real-time frame rate of 33.61 FPS, highlighting its suitability for industrial applications.

Enhancement on Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste using Spend Coffee Ground Derived Biochar for Biogas Production

In recent, one of the available energy sources is biogas where it is suitable for necessities of the future with the appropriate application of digestion technology. However, the technology used which is anaerobic digestion (AD) faces some challenges especially for food waste including low biogas productivity due to unstable operation efficiency. In order to overcome this shortcoming, spent coffee ground (SCG) derived biochar is introduced as an additive in AD process to enhance the production. To promote the efficiency of the AD, the optimum condition of biochar dosage, the amount of feedstock and pH value were studied. The experimental findings revealed that 13.528ml/g of biogas yield was achieved under optimum condition of 7g of biochar, 500g of feedstock at pH 7 for 14 days. The characterization analysis of biochar showed that, the carbon content and surface area as well as several functional groups of SCG biochar has led to the enhancement of the biogas production during AD process of food waste. The outcomes shows that the addition of SCG biochar can solve the instability issues of AD process yet increase the production of biogas.

Activated carbon derived from Mahachanok mango seeds as a potential material to delay the ripening of mangoes

The mango processing industry in Thailand generates significant waste, with over 60 % consisting of mango seed. Mahachanok mango seeds, a by-product of mango processing, can be processed into highly porous activated carbon with potential application in agricultural and food preservation. This study investigated the potential of activated carbon derived from Mahachanok mango seeds on delaying the ripening of Nam Dok Mai mangoes. The activated carbon was prepared through a two steps process: biochar preparation followed by activation using KMnO4. The morphology of activated carbon was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optimal carbonization temperature was determined, and the activated carbon was applied to mango storage. The mango ripening was assessed by measuring weight loss, total color difference (ΔE), firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and TSS/TA ratio as a ripening level indicator. The optimal carbonization temperature was found to be 500 °C, yielding 25.47 % activated carbon with iodine number of 361.77 mg I2/g AC. The activated surface carbon contained hydroxyl and manganyl groups, with a BET-surface area of 0.649 m2/g. Mangoes stored with 10 g of synthesized activated carbon exhibited the best delay in ripening, extending the ripening process by five days compared to the control. On the 8th day of storage, mangoes became early ripe with firmness and TSS/TA values for 10 g of synthesized activated carbon were 0.467 N/mm and 22.35, respectively (p < 0.05). The TSS/TA ratio indicated that this treatment effectively maintained mango quality for up to 14 days of storage. Activated carbon derived from Mahachanok mango seed shows promising results in delaying mango ripening, especially when used at 10 g dosage. This approach utilized food processing waste to create a valuable product for post-harvest handling, potentially improving the freshness of exported fruit.

Development of oriented microbial consortium-based compound enzyme strengthens food waste hydrolysis and antibiotic resistance genes removal: Deciphering of performance, metabolic pathways and microbial communities

Enzymatic hydrolysis has been considered as an eco-friendly pretreatment method for enhancing bioconversion process of food waste (FW). However, existing commercial enzymes and microbial monomer-based compound enzymes (MME) have the issues of uneven distribution of enzymatic activity and low matching degree with the components of FW, leading to low efficiency with enzymatic hydrolysis and removal of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This study used FW as the substrate, under the co-culture system, produced a microbial consortium-based compound enzymes (MCE) with oriented and well-matching degree for FW hydrolysis and ARGs removal, of which the performance, metabolic pathways and microbial communities were also investigated in depth. Results showed that the best performance for ARGs was achieved by the MCE prepared by mixing 1:5 of Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger after 12 days fermentation. The highest soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) concentration and ARGs removal could respectively reach 83.90 ± 1.67 g/L and 45.95% after MCE pretreatment. The analysis of metabolic pathways revealed that 1:5 MCE pretreatment strengthened the catalytic activity of carbohydrate-active enzymes, increased the abundances of genes involved in cellulose and starch degradation, polysaccharide synthesis, ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters and global regulation, while decreased the abundances of genes involved in mating pair formation system, two-component regulatory systems and quorum sensing, thereby enhanced FW hydrolysis and restrained ARGs dissemination. Microbial community analysis further indicated that the 1:5 MCE pretreatment promoted growth, metabolism and richness of functional microbes, while inhibited the host microbes of ARGs. It is expected that this study can provide useful insights into understanding the fate of ARGs in food waste during MCE pretreatment process.

European Green Deal: Substantiation of the Rational Configuration of the Bioenergy Production System from Organic Waste

A review of the current state of the theory and practice of bioenergy production from waste allowed us to identify the scientific and applied problem of substantiating the rational configuration of a modular anaerobic bioenergy system, taking into account the volume of organic waste generated in settlements. To solve this problem, this paper develops an approach and an algorithm for matching the configuration of a modular anaerobic bioenergy production system with the amount of organic waste generated in residential areas. Unlike the existing tools, this takes into account the peculiarities of residential areas, which is the basis for accurate forecasting of organic waste generation and, accordingly, determining the configuration of the bioenergy production system. In addition, for each of the scenarios, the anaerobic digestion process is modeled, which allows us to determine the functional indicators that underlie the determination of a rational configuration in terms of cost and environmental performance. Based on the use of the developed tools for the production conditions of the Golosko residential area, Lviv (Ukraine), possible scenarios for the installation of modular anaerobic bioenergy production systems are substantiated. It was found that the greatest annual benefits are obtained from the processing of mixed food and yard waste. The payback period of investments in modular anaerobic bioenergy production systems for given conditions of a residential area largely depends on their configuration and ranges from 3.3 to 8.4 years, which differ from each other by 2.5 times. This indicates that the developed toolkit is of practical value, as it allows the coordination of the rational configuration of modular anaerobic bioenergy production systems with real production conditions. In the future, it is recommended to use the proposed decision support system to model the use of biomass as an energy resource in residential areas, which ensures the determination of the rational configuration of a modular anaerobic bioenergy production system for given conditions.

Food Waste Processing Trends Worldwide and Valorization of Food Waste from Pune City

This article lays its primary focus on understanding waste from the domestic and commercial hotel kitchens. For researchers, deciding biotechnological treatment and valorization process, it is necessary to refer and understand the food waste (FW) composition and its processing trends worldwide. This paper mentions the FW compositional data from four different locations of “Pune” a metro city of India. Study-approved procedures for sample collection, preparation, and analysis were followed. The results indicate, the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in all samples and are sufficient to support the microbial growth and desired product formation. Being perishable, microbiological and compositional changes during handling and transportation, in FW are inevitable. The presence of high boiling, low boiling volatile compounds and volatile organic acids indicate the complexity of FW and microbial activity taking place within it. Abundant amount of trace elements essential for enzymatic reactions and building block molecule formation are present. Average important figures to mention, starch- 7.27% w/w, free sugars- 3.39% w/w, proteins- 7.99% w/w and fats- 12.84% w/w. In addition, essential trace elements Zn- 4 mg/lit, Mn- 4 mg/lit, Mg- 239 mg/lit, S-433 mg/lit and P- 922 mg/lit. The numbers help to realize the nutritional richness of the FW in reality and provide fundamental statistical data for researchers. Treatment and recycling can be done to contribute toward a circular bio-economy. Remarkable variations observed in almost all components on day-to-day basis. However, pretreatment process parameters can be decided to account for compositional variations.

Optimizing the microbial community composition in anaerobic digesters to improve biogas yields from food waste

Methods: Food waste collected from local restaurants and households in New York city will be used in this study. The food waste will be characterized to analyze its composition. Batch anaerobic digesters will be inoculated with microbial communities from existing food waste digesters. DNA analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing will be done to show the initial microbial consortia. Various perturbations will be applied to the digesters including changes in temperature, pH, feeding rates, mixing intensities to select for microbial populations yielding higher biogas production. Biogas production will be monitored over time. DNA analysis will be repeated after perturbation to analyze changes in the microbial community structure. Results: Preliminary results show Food waste characterized was found to contain 35% proteins, 45% carbohydrates and 20% fats. The initial microbial consortia in the digesters was dominated by bacteria from the genera Clostridium, Bacteroides and Methanothermobacter. Increasing feeding rates led to a 40% increase in biogas yields. Microbial analysis indicated a shift in populations with Clostridium becoming the most abundant genus. Decreasing pH from 7 to 6.5 further enhanced biogas by 25% with Clostridium and Syntrophomonas becoming dominant. Discussion: The study demonstrates that optimizing operational conditions can effectively manipulate the microbial communities in anaerobic digesters processing food waste. By applying selective pressures, populations better suited to degrade the local food waste and produce higher methane yields can be enriched. Further experiments will aim to construct stable, optimized consortia through controlled perturbation for robust and efficient food waste digestion. The approach holds promise for improving biogas production from food waste globally

Enhanced butanol production from dough and okara waste through co-fermentation

Biobutanol production from waste via fermentation emerges as a promising solution for a sustainable waste-energy nexus. However, maximizing the resource potential of waste-derived feedstock for fermentation remains a hindrance to biobutanol production in the industry. To address this issue, co-fermentation of food processing waste, dough and okara, by Clostridium sp. strain BOH3 was explored to enhance biobutanol production. Results indicated that strain BOH3 generated 15.9 ± 0.90 g/L of butanol and 25.4 ± 1.43 g/L of acetone-butanol-ethanol solvents from 80 g/L co-substrate containing 85 % dough and 15 % okara, which represented a remarkable enhancement of butanol and solvent production with a notable increase of 91.6 % and 108.2 %, respectively, compared to sole fermentation of 80 g/L dough waste. In contrast, the sole fermentation of okara produced negligible amounts of solvent with acid as the dominant product due to the unsuitable carbon-to-nitrogen ratio intrinsic to okara for fermentation. Meanwhile, co-fermentation accelerated the acidogenesis-to-solventogenesis phase transition by balancing the carbon-to-nitrogen ratios and elevating the activity of amylase and butanol dehydrogenase by 1.7 folds when compared with the sole fermentation of dough waste. Findings in this study provided an effective co-fermentation strategy as well as the associated mechanistic insights regarding enhanced biobutanol production from dough and okara waste, promisingly contributing to sustainable waste-to-energy management.

Biotechnological Innovations Unleashing the Potential of Olive Mill Wastewater in Added-Value Bioproducts.

Byproducts and wastes from the food processing industry represent an important group of wastes generated annually in large quantities. It is important to note that the amount of this waste will increase with industrialization, and effective solutions must be found urgently. Many wastes that cause environmental pollution are evaluated by their low-tech conversion into products with little economic value, such as animal feed and fertilizer. Therefore, the evaluation of food processing waste using effective recycling techniques has become an interesting subject with increasing population, ongoing biotechnological studies, and advances in technology. The conversion of food waste into biotechnological products via fermentation is a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and economical method in line with the principles of green chemistry. This approach promotes the reuse of food waste by supporting the principles of a circular economy and offers sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels and synthetic chemicals. This contributes to reducing the carbon footprint, preserving soil and water quality, and providing economic sustainability through the production of high-value products. In this study, the properties of olive mill wastewater, an important and valuable waste in the olive oil industry, its environmental aspects, and its use in biotechnological applications that integrate green chemistry are evaluated.