Promoting sustainable growth and renewable energy through food waste valorization

• Published in: Accelerating the Transition to a Hydrogen Economy: Achieving Carbon Neutrality: Volume 1
• Main Author: Tan E.T.T.; Chua L.S.; Yusoff I.M.
• Format: Book chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85214158282&doi=10.1016%2fB978-0-443-14039-6.00004-X&partnerID=40&md5=1c784558a822b16093ddaecd61f460f5

This chapter provides an overview of the conventional practices and latest research in the area of food waste valorization. With an increasing world population, there has been a corresponding rise in the amount of waste generated, particularly food waste. This trend has prompted the need to adopt a sustainable circular economy, which entails minimizing resource usage and maximizing waste valorization. Many valuable substances can be recovered from food waste using various waste valorization strategies, which can range from simple to complex, depending on the type of waste and the target substance for recovery. Conventional methods, such as fermentation, composting, and anaerobic digestion, have been used to produce hydrogen and recover bioactive compounds through the growth of microorganisms. Extraction techniques have been innovated and combined with other technologies to improve the performance of the processes. Relatively modern technologies, such as hydrothermal carbonization, nonthermal processing, and microbial electrosynthesis, have been introduced to deal with recalcitrant and heat-sensitive waste. Despite many benefits of food waste valorization, there are still challenges to be addressed, including technical difficulties and significant investment in infrastructure and equipment. Additionally, there may be regulatory barriers to the use of waste-derived products in certain applications, particularly animal-derived waste materials, due to hygiene, health, and religious concerns. While there is a significant amount of literature on food waste valorization, most reports focus only on small- and pilot-scale laboratory experiences, and there is limited information available on full-scale studies. Therefore, it is crucial to review the available valorization strategies for food waste to improve the adoption and implementation of this approach, in addition to generating green and renewable energy for sustainability. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.