Food Waste to Valuable Resources

Applications and Management

Rajesh Banu, Gopalakrishnan Kumar, Gunasekaran M., Kavitha S.

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780128183533
• eBook ISBN: 9780128183540
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: National Security
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Food Waste to Valuable Resources: Applications and Management compiles current information pertaining to food waste, placing particular emphasis on the themes of food waste management, biorefineries, valuable specialty products and technoeconomic analysis. Following its introduction, this book explores new valuable resource technologies, the bioeconomy, the technoeconomical evaluation of food-waste-based biorefineries, and the policies and regulations related to a food-waste-based economy. It is an ideal reference for researchers and industry professionals working in the areas of food waste valorization, food science and technology, food producers, policymakers and NGOs, environmental technologists, environmental engineers, and students studying environmental engineering, food science, and more.- Presents recent advances, trends and challenges related to food waste valorization- Contains invaluable knowledge on of food waste management, biorefineries, valuable specialty products and technoeconomic analysis- Highlights modern advances and applications of food waste bioresources in various products' recovery

Chapter 1

Introduction: sources and characterization of food waste and food industry wastes

S. Kavitha¹, R. Yukesh Kannah¹, Gopalakrishnan Kumar², M. Gunasekaran³ and J. Rajesh Banu⁴, ¹Department of Civil Engineering, Anna University Regional Campus Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli, India, ²Institute of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway, ³Department of Physics, Anna University Regional Campus Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli, India, ⁴Department of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Neelakudi, Thiruvarur, India

Abstract

Food waste (FW) consists of organic-rich resources for consumption which are then discarded, wasted, decomposed, or spoiled. The issue of FW is presently progressing, linking all divisions of waste management practices from assortment to clearance; the recognition of viable resolutions spreads to all players in the food supply chains, farming and business sectors, and sellers and the ultimate patrons. A sequence of resolutions can be executed in suitable FW handling, and highlighted in an analogous mode to the waste managing framework. The utmost desirable keys are signified by prevention and contribution of eatable portions of FW to food banks. FW can also be utilized in industries as substrates for biofuels and value-added products recovery. Additional steps enable nutrient retrieval by composting. Incineration and landfill are considered as less preferred practices. Significant researches have been performed on FW with the outlook of recovering bioenergy or value-added products. This introductory chapter summarizes an overview of FW, food loss, sources, origin, generation, management, and valorization strategies.

Keywords

Food waste; food loss; generation; quantification; food waste hierarchy; management practices

1.1 Food waste and food loss

Food waste (FW) have been defined as the byproducts or wastes originating from houses, canteens, hotels, restaurants, catering services, and several food-based industries, etc. FW are considered as the nonproduct streams of constituents where their economic worth is below the collection and retrieval cost, and hence they are thrown away as waste (United Nations Industrial Development Organization, 2012). About 89 million tons of FW are produced annually in the EU-27 (European Commission, 2010). Of this total, 80% has been recorded, with 38% created by the manufacturing sector and 42% by the household sector, emphasizing the generation of FW at each phase in the food supply chain (FSC). Generally, household FW generated by people at their homes signifies an issue from the logistics perspective.

“Food loss” is defined as food which accidentally deteriorates either qualitatively or quantitatively due to food spillage, spoilage, and/or drooping. Destruction is also caused by organization boundaries at the manufacturing, storing, handling, and circulation stages of the FSC. FW refers to any foodstuff and uneatable portions of food wasted from the FSC that can be recuperated or discarded. This comprises FW which is to be sent to landfill, managed via anaerobic digestion (AD), incinerated for bioenergy production, combusted, discarded to drainage, disposed to landfill, put in open dumps, or disposed of to water bodies.

Food losses can happen during the generation, packing, handling, distribution, and marketing phases, in addition to prior to or at the time or later stages of food preparation (Bio Intelligence Service et al., 2011). Food residuals include inevitably uneatable and partially unwanted products such as hides, stems, and foliage (Bio Intelligence Service et al., 2011; Foresight, 2010; WRAP, 2009). In addition, it comprises remains generated in eateries, hostelries, cafes, and some food facilities that do not plan for social utilization. A byproduct is a beneficial and saleable product or facility arising from a production stage which is not the main one generated (EEA, 2013). The eatable derivatives of food generated in the preparation and processing stages are usually taken from the human FSC and used as animal feed (Foresight, 2010). Food derivatives which are of animal origin include all organs or portions of animal bodies. FW comes under the heading of unnecessary waste. Disposed food, however, has worth and is very appropriate for utilization. Food products which are dropped, decayed, bruised, or crushed are referred to as FW. This comprises complete or sealed packets or separate foodstuffs that are not consumed (WRAP, 2008). In the FSC, FW cane be generated at any stage (Foresight, 2010) due to insufficient performance of food chain players (e.g., manufacturers, sellers, the food service sector, customers).

The European Commission (2014) released goals for the bioeconomy and FW handling in July 2014. They defined “food waste” as food products (as well as uneatable portions) lost from the FSC. This does not include food removed to value-added biomaterials, for example, biological materials, food for animals, or that directed for resupply. In addition, the member states of the European Union (EU) plan to launch agendas to assemble and provide reports about the FW level in every sectors. Up-to-date records are required to progress FW prevention strategies. These plans are intended to achieve the goal of decreasing FMW by nearly 30% from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2025. The European Commission (EC) intends to approve executing directives by December 31, 2017, so as to launch perpetual circumstances for observing the execution of FW-preventive processes implemented by EU member states. The Commission has withdrawn the circular economy rules established from the EC’s program on December 16, 2014. This package discussed the strategy and future directions including FW reuse, combustion, and landfilling. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, 2014) issued a worldwide intended agenda demarcating “food loss” as the reduction of food quantitatively or qualitatively, which is initiated mostly by food generation and supply system operation. Thus “food loss” happens during the FSC. In addition, the FAO differentiates “FW” as an essential portion of “loss of food,” that denotes the exclusion of food appropriate for utilization from the FSC from foodstuffs which have been left for spoilage or decay due to failings by the ultimate consumer at the household level.

According to the European Commission (2014), FW has been categorized into three groups: “(1) Loss of food: foodstuffs that are lost at the production stage; (2) inevitable FW: foodstuffs that are lost at the consumption stage (e.g., peels of banana, cores of fruits); (3) unnecessary FW: foodstuffs that are not consumed, but lost at the consumption stage.” Based on every stage of the FSC, Gustavsson et al. (2011) divided the generation of FW into the following production stages: agro-based FW generation, postharvest treatment and storing, handling, supply, and consumption. Parfitt et al. (2010) described FW as the loss of food during the absolute stage of FSC (marketing and ultimate consumption), that relates to seller and consumer behavior. Lipinski et al. (2013) defined FW as food products which possess better value and are appropriate for human utilization, that however are not utilized as they are disposed of prior to or after spoilage.

1.2 Food supply chain waste characterization

Food supply chain waste (FSCW) is product rich in organics generated for human utilization which is thrown away, subjected to loss, or decomposed chiefly at the production and marketing phases, comprising waste generated from pest-degraded food or spoiled food. FW is generated during all stages of the FSC, and is mainly apparent at the merchandizing and customer stages. The FAO has reported that nearly 51% of food generated is thrown away or unused prior to and after it reaches the customer (Parfitt et al., 2010). Nearly 1300 million tonnes of food is generated annually worldwide. This clearly illustrates a foremost socioeconomic and ecological issue (Gustavsson et al., 2011). The agri-based FSC includes a wide range of production processes that produce incremental amounts of diverse FW, particularly organic residues. The escalating requirement for value-added products and biofuels, along with additional drivers, is inspiring the reutilization and proficient biorefineries of organics from the FSC for the generation of new biomaterials, fine chemicals, and biofuels, as a harmonizing method to the traditional approaches (i.e., incineration, composting, animal feed, and landfill).

Industries move in the direction of greater sustainability to decrease costs and increase the effectiveness of processes to make innovative strategies economically sound for reutilization of FW. The progressively stringent European rules and principles and the expenses linked with their compliance (Landfill Directive in Europe) are the main drivers for the utilization of FSCW as a substrate to produce value-added products. Numerous methods can be considered to progress cutting-edge valorization approaches for the remains and derivatives of FW. This includes substantial amounts of biomolecules (i.e., proteins, polysaccharides, triglycerols, lipids, phenolic compounds), which are ample, easily obtainable, reutilized, and renewable. Numerous FW pools have value-added products that can be recuperated, resolved, and reutilized as useful foods, oils, and flavoring compounds. The expansion of valorization methods can solve the chief problems of the food industry, directing progress to more viable FSC and FW treatment schemes. They can resolve both the source and FW treatment issues, as the concerns linked with agro-based FW are significant, and include:

• • reducing landfill;
• • reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
• • reducing water supply contamination through inorganic material leaching; and
• • enhancing the effectiveness of traditional FW treatment approaches (i.e., composting and incineration).

The best examples of these systems include expansion of closed-loop models with regard to the supply chain (World Economic Forum, 2010). These models explain that every type of FW can be recycled in the FSC (e.g., packed FW can be reutilized).

FSC originate from an agricultural stage, continue through various industries and trades, and end with domiciliary consumption. Throughout this chain, food is wasted or lost due to technical, financial, and/or social causes. Scientist have disagreements about the descriptions of “food waste” and “food loss” in FSC. As stated by the Foresight Project report organized through the Government Bureau of Science (Foresight, 2011), FW is demarcated as “eatable product planned for societal utilization which are thrown away, lost, decomposed, or used by nuisances when foodstuff are taken from farms to buyer.” FSC and postharvest schemes are two other definitions under dispute in various reports. Postharvest loss is usually defined as “loss of food” and “spoilage of food.” “Loss of food” is defined as decrements in the volume and worth of food both quantitatively and qualitatively (Premanandh, 2011). Qualitative loss refers to a reduction in the calorific and nutritious value, with a reduction in quality that renders the product inedible (Kader, 2009). Loss of quantity is defined as a reduction...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of contributors
• Author biographies
• Chapter 1. Introduction: sources and characterization of food waste and food industry wastes
• Chapter 2. Valorization of food waste for biogas, biohydrogen, and biohythane generation
• Chapter 3. Valorization of food waste for bioethanol and biobutanol production
• Chapter 4. Valorization of food waste for biodiesel production
• Chapter 5. Thermochemical conversion of food waste for bioenergy generation
• Chapter 6. Production of organic acids and enzymes/biocatalysts from food waste
• Chapter 7. Production of biopolymers and feed protein from food wastes
• Chapter 8. Production of fine chemicals from food wastes
• Chapter 9. Specialty chemicals and nutraceuticals production from food industry wastes
• Chapter 10. Enzymes/biocatalysts and bioreactors for valorization of food wastes
• Chapter 11. Aerobic biodegradation of food wastes
• Chapter 12. Bioenergy recovery from food processing wastewater—Microbial fuel cell
• Chapter 13. Integrated biorefineries of food waste
• Chapter 14. State of the art of food waste management in various countries
• Chapter 15. Techno-economic analysis and environmental aspects of food waste management
• Chapter 16. Problems and issues of food waste-based biorefineries
• Chapter 17. Environmental impacts and sustainability assessment of food loss and waste valorization: value chain analysis of food consumption
• Chapter 18. Analysis and regulation policies of food waste based on circular bioeconomies
• Chapter 19. Scaling up of food waste valorization market outlooks: key concerns
• Chapter 20. New business and marketing concepts for cross-sector valorization of food waste
• Index