Bridging Innovative Technologies and Consumer Acceptance in Sustainable Food Systems

The transition towards sustainable food systems requires a paradigm shift from linear production models to circular approaches that valorize food waste and by-products (Abbate et al., 2024). In recent years, significant advances have been made in innovative extraction and processing technologies, including green solvent extraction (Frontini et al., 2024), ultrasound-assisted extraction (Balan et al., 2025), supercritical fluid extraction (Rodrigues et al., 2026), microwave-assisted extraction (Spinei and Oroian, 2022), and enzymatic treatments (Poblete et al., 2025). These innovations enable the recovery of high-value compounds from agri-food residues, including polyphenols, proteins, fibers, and bioactive ingredients, which can be used in various industrial applications, including cosmetics, supplements, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals (Agnusdei et al., 2025).

As these technologies have become increasingly embedded in complex circular value chains, it is crucial to ensure the traceability, transparency, and reliability of valorization processes. In this context, digitalization plays a pivotal role. Tracking the origin of biomass, processing conditions, and sustainability performance across the value chain is essential for regulatory compliance, quality assurance, and informing process optimization decisions (Abbate et al., 2023). Tools such as AI-based blockchain platforms and FAIR data infrastructures enable transparent tracking of material flows and sustainability metrics, support data-driven refinement of processing parameters, and facilitate the scalability of circular solutions.

However, despite promising technological and environmental performance, the large-scale implementation and industrial uptake of upcycled food ingredients and products remain limited. A critical barrier lies in the design of processing technologies and product formats that meet market requirements for safety, quality, and sensory attributes. Insights into how end-users perceive upcycled products are therefore essential to guide processing choices — including extraction parameters, purification steps, formulation strategies, and packaging design — so that valorized ingredients translate into commercially viable products (Dangelico and Fraccascia, 2026).

This Special Issue aims to connect technological advances in food waste valorization with the design of market-ready processing solutions by combining insights from food engineering, sustainability assessment, and product-oriented consumer research. We invite interdisciplinary contributions that assess the efficiency, scalability, and environmental impact of valorization technologies, and that use end-user insights to inform processing and product development decisions for upcycled food ingredients and products. The Special Issue aims to promote a comprehensive understanding of the full processing pipeline — from raw biomass to market-ready upcycled product — to help develop viable, sustainable, and market-aligned processing solutions for food waste valorization in circular food systems.

Contributions may include, but are not limited to:

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) application to assess the environmental implications of valorization processes;

• Multi-criteria sustainability assessment frameworks to assess innovative technologies based on environmental, economic, and social factors;

• Techno-economic analysis (TEA) of innovative processes, including cost modeling and profitability assessment;

• Sensory evaluation, product acceptance studies, and end-user feedback used to inform processing parameters, formulation strategies, and product design for upcycled food ingredients;

• Conceptual and review papers proposing integrated frameworks for food waste valorization;

• Development of AI-powered, blockchain-based platforms for monitoring bioconversion processes;

• Development of new circular processing routes, product prototypes, and upcycled ingredient applications derived from agri-food by-products.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: circular food systems, food waste valorization, sustainable food processing, green extraction technologies, life cycle assessment, upcycled food ingredients

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.