Agro-Food Waste as an Ingredient in Functional Beverage Processing: Sources, Functionality, Market and Regulation

• Published in: Foods Vol. 12; no. 8; p. 1583
• Main Authors: Pérez-Marroquín, Xóchitl Alejandra, Estrada-Fernández, Ana Guadalupe, García-Ceja, Adelfo, Aguirre-Álvarez, Gabriel, León-López, Arely
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 08.04.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Agricultural wastes; agro-food industry; Beverage industry; Beverages; Bioactive compounds; Cereals; Consumers; Dairy industry; Dairy products; Environmental impact; Enzymes; Fibers; Food industry; Food production; Food products; Food science; Food waste; Food wastes; Fruits; functional beverages; Functional foods; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Ingredients; Kitchens; Meat processing; Optimization; Phytochemicals; Prevention; Production processes; regulation; Review; Solvents; Ultrasonic imaging; Vegetables; Mexico; Japan; functional beverages; regulation; agro-food industry; food waste
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods12081583

Waste generated from the agro-food industry represents a concerning environmental, social and economic issue. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines food waste as all food that decreases in quantity or quality to the extent that it is thrown out by food service providers and consumers. The FAO reports that 17% of worldwide food production may be wasted. Food waste may include fresh products, food close to the expiration date discarded by retailers and food products from household kitchens and eating establishments. However, food waste offers different possibilities to extract functional ingredients from different sources, such as dairy, cereals, fruits, vegetables, fibers, oils, dye and bioactive compounds. The optimization of agro-food waste as an ingredient will help in the development and innovation of food products to generate functional food and beverages to prevent and treat several diseases in consumers.