About this Research Topic
The current natural resources are constantly overexploited to provide food supply to the growing world population, and at the same time there is an ever-increasing rate of waste generation. This waste biomass is mainly dumped on sanitary landfills, resulting in limitation of the land destined for agriculture, and causing serious damage to ecosystems. As opposed to such a linear model of development, circular economy strategies are oriented towards waste valorization, aiming at reducing the indiscriminate use of resources. Thus, food production is channeled into sustainable systems of resource restoration and regeneration, limiting the irrational use of raw materials and energy, and minimizing waste generation. The waste material derived from the agri-food sector embraces residues from crop cultivation, post-harvest rejected tissues, and food processing side-streams, all of which are bio-materials rich in substances that may be used to produce fuels, energy, platform chemicals, and high value-added compounds.
In this regard, probably the most challenging prospect in the recovery of bioactives and nutrients from food waste streams is their effective release and extraction, by deploying state-of-the-art technologies that would ensure both high recovery yield, purity, and stability of the targeted compound, as well as economic feasibility (low cost), with minimal environmental impact.
Traditional extraction techniques, including percolation, decoction/infusion generation, maceration, etc., are currently being replaced by cutting-edge, sophisticated technologies with higher efficiency and selectivity, and a more eco-friendly profile. Advanced extraction methodologies based on ultrasonication, microwaves, pulsed electric fields, high voltage discharges, enzymes, pressurized liquids, supercritical fluids etc., have in many instances been proven more targeted, high-performing, straight-forward, fast, sustainable, fully automated, and with relatively low capital cost.
This Research Topic addresses the concept of innovative and emerging strategies that aim at effectively implementing green technologies for the recovery of bioactive compounds from plant waste resources, and the production of novel bio-based substances and materials with a central role in food technology (antioxidants, additives, emulsifiers, pigments, etc.). Contributions pertaining to novel solvents, investigation of their properties, sustainable production of isolated bioactive compounds or whole extracts, and their utilization in the food industries are particularly welcome.
In this Research Topic, we welcome papers addressing subtopics including, but not limited to:
• The concept of innovative and emerging strategies for effectively implementing green technologies for the recovery of bioactive compounds from plant waste resources
• The production of novel bio-based substances and materials with a central role in food technology (antioxidants, additives, emulsifiers, pigments, etc)
• Investigation into the properties of novel solvents
• Sustainable production of isolated bioactive compounds or whole extracts
• The use of the above in food industries
In this regard, probably the most challenging prospect in the recovery of bioactives and nutrients from food waste streams is their effective release and extraction, by deploying state-of-the-art technologies that would ensure both high recovery yield, purity, and stability of the targeted compound, as well as economic feasibility (low cost), with minimal environmental impact.
Traditional extraction techniques, including percolation, decoction/infusion generation, maceration, etc., are currently being replaced by cutting-edge, sophisticated technologies with higher efficiency and selectivity, and a more eco-friendly profile. Advanced extraction methodologies based on ultrasonication, microwaves, pulsed electric fields, high voltage discharges, enzymes, pressurized liquids, supercritical fluids etc., have in many instances been proven more targeted, high-performing, straight-forward, fast, sustainable, fully automated, and with relatively low capital cost.
This Research Topic addresses the concept of innovative and emerging strategies that aim at effectively implementing green technologies for the recovery of bioactive compounds from plant waste resources, and the production of novel bio-based substances and materials with a central role in food technology (antioxidants, additives, emulsifiers, pigments, etc.). Contributions pertaining to novel solvents, investigation of their properties, sustainable production of isolated bioactive compounds or whole extracts, and their utilization in the food industries are particularly welcome.
In this Research Topic, we welcome papers addressing subtopics including, but not limited to:
• The concept of innovative and emerging strategies for effectively implementing green technologies for the recovery of bioactive compounds from plant waste resources
• The production of novel bio-based substances and materials with a central role in food technology (antioxidants, additives, emulsifiers, pigments, etc)
• Investigation into the properties of novel solvents
• Sustainable production of isolated bioactive compounds or whole extracts
• The use of the above in food industries
Keywords: bio-based products, circular economy, food waste, sustainability
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
