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Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions...
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Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 4045

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gabriele Ballistreri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Center for Olive, Fruit and Citrus Crops, Acireale, Italy
Interests: physico-chemical, sensory, and biological aspects of fresh and processed fruits; investigation of the bioactive constituents; recovery of potentially high-value compounds from by-products such as the peels; pulps and seeds of fruits

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The management of food waste has emerged as a critical global challenge with significant environmental, economic, and social implications. This Special Issue, "Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality", focuses on innovative approaches to valorising food waste as a resource for developing functional foods. By transforming by-products and discarded materials from the food industry into valuable ingredients, researchers can contribute to sustainable food systems while improving health outcomes through enhanced nutrition. Articles in this Special Issue will explore the cutting-edge techniques used in the extraction and characterisation of bioactive compounds, their integration into functional food formulations, and their overall impact on human health and product functionality. Contributions are encouraged to address challenges and opportunities in the utilisation of food waste, providing insights into its future trends and applications.

Dr. Gabriele Ballistreri
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food waste valorisation
  • functional food ingredients
  • bioactive compound extraction
  • nutritional sustainability
  • the circular economy in food systems
  • by-product utilisation
  • functional food development
  • green extraction technologies
  • waste-to-wealth strategies
  • food industry innovation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 939 KiB  
Article
Fermentation to Increase the Value of Roasted Coffee Silverskin as a Functional Food Ingredient
by Nadia Guzińska, Maria Dolores del Castillo and Edyta Kordialik-Bogacka
Foods 2025, 14(15), 2608; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152608 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 471
Abstract
Roasted coffee silverskin (RCSS) is a by-product of coffee production characterized by its content of phenolic compounds, both free and bound to macromolecules. In this study, RCSS was fermented to release these compounds and consequently increase its value as a functional food ingredient. [...] Read more.
Roasted coffee silverskin (RCSS) is a by-product of coffee production characterized by its content of phenolic compounds, both free and bound to macromolecules. In this study, RCSS was fermented to release these compounds and consequently increase its value as a functional food ingredient. Fermentation was carried out using yeast, acetic acid bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria, either as single strains or as a designed microbial consortium. The latter included Saccharomycodes ludwigii, Gluconobacter oxydans, and Levilactobacillus brevis, mimicking a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast commonly used in kombucha fermentation (SCOBY). This symbiotic microbial culture consortium demonstrated notable efficacy, significantly enhancing the total phenolic content in RCSS, with values reaching 14.15 mg GAE/g as determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu assay and 7.12 mg GAE/g according to the Fast Blue BB method. Antioxidant capacity improved by approximately 28% (ABTS) and 20% (DPPH). Moreover, the fermented RCSS supported the viability of probiotic strains (Saccharomyces boulardii SB01 and Levilactobacillus brevis ŁOCK 1152) under simulated intestinal conditions. These results suggest that RCSS, particularly after fermentation with a full symbiotic microbial culture consortium, has strong potential as a clean label, zero-waste functional food ingredient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality)
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15 pages, 1546 KiB  
Article
Nutritional and Antioxidant Valorization of Grape Pomace from Argentinian Vino De La Costa and Italian Cabernet Wines
by Luciano M. Guardianelli, María V. Salinas, María C. Puppo, Alyssa Hidalgo and Gabriella Pasini
Foods 2025, 14(13), 2386; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132386 - 5 Jul 2025
Viewed by 539
Abstract
Wine production generates by-products that require proper management and reuse to minimize their environmental impact. Grape pomace, a by-product of winemaking, holds significant nutritional and bioactive potential. This study evaluated the nutritional and antioxidant profiles of pomace from Isabella grapes (La Plata, Argentina) [...] Read more.
Wine production generates by-products that require proper management and reuse to minimize their environmental impact. Grape pomace, a by-product of winemaking, holds significant nutritional and bioactive potential. This study evaluated the nutritional and antioxidant profiles of pomace from Isabella grapes (La Plata, Argentina) and Cabernet grapes (Veneto, Italy). Both varieties contain high levels of dietary fiber, especially Cabernet. However, Cabernet showed lower protein and lipid levels than Isabella. Calcium, potassium, and phosphorus were the major minerals in both by-products. Isabella exhibited a higher content of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly α-linoleic acid, while Cabernet shows a greater proportion of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Additionally, Isabella exhibited significantly higher levels of caffeic acid derivatives (506.4 vs. 38.2 mg/kg dry weight), catechin (1613.2 vs. 294.8 mg/kg dry weight), epicatechin (1229.2 vs. 230.3 mg/kg dry weight), and total anthocyanins (2649 vs. 607.5 mg kuromanin/kg dry weight), as well as a greater total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity compared to Cabernet. These results highlight grape pomace’s potential as a valuable functional ingredient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality)
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25 pages, 4700 KiB  
Article
Design and Optimization of a Second-Generation Extruded Snack Using Carrot Waste, Blue Corn Flour, and Ellagic Acid as Functional Ingredients
by Yaír Adonaí Sánchez-Nuño, Karla Nuño, Alma Hortensia Martínez-Preciado, Jorge Manuel Silva-Jara, Carlos A. Velázquez-Carriles, Carlos Alberto Gomez-Aldapa and Angélica Villarruel-López
Foods 2025, 14(10), 1657; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101657 - 8 May 2025
Viewed by 819
Abstract
Blue maize is rich in bioactive compounds which are at risk of extinction due to monoculture practices. Carrot bagasse, considered a byproduct of the food industry, contains compounds that have been shown to benefit human health while also enhancing sustainability. Ellagic acid can [...] Read more.
Blue maize is rich in bioactive compounds which are at risk of extinction due to monoculture practices. Carrot bagasse, considered a byproduct of the food industry, contains compounds that have been shown to benefit human health while also enhancing sustainability. Ellagic acid can prevent and assist in the treatment of various pathologies. Extrusion is a process characterized by its use of low energy, which minimizes the degradation of nutrients and bioactive compounds compared to other technologies. The objective of this research was to develop a functional food with high value of sensorial acceptance, desirable physicochemical, and antioxidant properties, using an 85:13:2% mixture of nixtamalized blue maize flour, carrot bagasse flour, and ellagic acid, processed with optimal conditions of extrusion determined with a surface response model. Operational conditions using a central rotatable experimental design were die temperature (DT = 120–170 °C), and screw speed (SS = 50–240 rpm), while response variables were physicochemical properties (expansion index, bulk density, breaking force, water absorption index and water solubility index) and antioxidant activity (free phenols inhibition of ABTS and DPPH). Sensory analysis, bromatological characterization and ellagic acid content determination with HPLC-DAD in reversed phase were also made. The optimal operational conditions were found to be DT = 144 °C and SS = 207 rpm, resulting in a mixture with high sensorial acceptability on a five-point hedonic scale. The optimized functional food may be used to promote the utilization of endemic ingredients and reduce food waste in the treatment of pathologies and prevention of diseases due to its high antioxidant activity attributed to phenolic and terpene compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality)
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Review

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46 pages, 2160 KiB  
Review
Potential of Plant-Based Oil Processing Wastes/By-Products as an Alternative Source of Bioactive Compounds in the Food Industry
by Elifsu Nemli, Deniz Günal-Köroğlu, Resat Apak and Esra Capanoglu
Foods 2025, 14(15), 2718; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152718 - 2 Aug 2025
Viewed by 608
Abstract
The plant-based oil industry contributes significantly to food waste/by-products in the form of underutilized biomass, including oil pomace, cake/meal, seeds, peels, wastewater, etc. These waste/by-products contain a significant quantity of nutritious and bioactive compounds (phenolics, lignans, flavonoids, dietary fiber, proteins, and essential minerals) [...] Read more.
The plant-based oil industry contributes significantly to food waste/by-products in the form of underutilized biomass, including oil pomace, cake/meal, seeds, peels, wastewater, etc. These waste/by-products contain a significant quantity of nutritious and bioactive compounds (phenolics, lignans, flavonoids, dietary fiber, proteins, and essential minerals) with proven health-promoting effects. The utilization of them as natural, cost-effective, and food-grade functional ingredients in novel food formulations holds considerable potential. This review highlights the potential of waste/by-products generated during plant-based oil processing as a promising source of bioactive compounds and covers systematic research, including recent studies focusing on innovative extraction and processing techniques. It also sheds light on their promising potential for valorization as food ingredients, with a focus on specific examples of food fortification. Furthermore, the potential for value creation in the food industry is emphasized, taking into account associated challenges and limitations, as well as future perspectives. Overall, the current information suggests that the valorization of plant-based oil industry waste and by-products for use in the food industry could substantially reduce malnutrition and poverty, generate favorable health outcomes, mitigate environmental concerns, and enhance economic profit in a sustainable way by developing health-promoting, environmentally sustainable food systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality)
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17 pages, 2035 KiB  
Review
New Insight into Microbial Exploitation to Produce Bioactive Molecules from Agrifood and By-Products’ Fermentation
by Paola Foti, Cinzia Caggia and Flora Valeria Romeo
Foods 2025, 14(8), 1439; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14081439 - 21 Apr 2025
Viewed by 990
Abstract
Consumers are increasingly interested in a healthy lifestyle, and choosing foods and ingredients with proven human health benefits has become a current trend. Recently, scientific evidence has proven that the use of microorganisms in different food matrices appears to play a key role [...] Read more.
Consumers are increasingly interested in a healthy lifestyle, and choosing foods and ingredients with proven human health benefits has become a current trend. Recently, scientific evidence has proven that the use of microorganisms in different food matrices appears to play a key role in the production of bioactive molecules with biological effects on human health. In particular, selected microorganisms with specific traits can be exploited for the production of specific molecules with high nutraceutical value that can be used in the food industry. This review aims to explore the most recent studies that correlate the use of microorganisms to produce high-value molecules through fermentation and synthetic biology, confirming their strategic role in obtaining nutraceuticals for human consumption with health-promoting effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality)
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