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Sustainable Food Production from Waste and By-Products in the Food...
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Sustainable Food Production from Waste and By-Products in the Food Industry

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2026 | Viewed by 1548

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yunpu Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Engineering Research Center for Biomass Conversion, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
Interests: carbon materials; catalytic pyrolysis; value-added products; biodiesel production; hydrocarbon-rich fuel; nanoparticles; sustainable biorefinery; biohydrogen
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qi Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Engineering Research Center for Biomass Conversion, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China
Interests: biomass waste; adsorbent materials; microalgae cultivation; anaerobic digestion; wastewater treatment; wine wastewater; resource recovery; bioproducts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Shuhao Huo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Interests: biomass resource; algae; ecology; raceway ponds; photobioreactor
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the acceleration of urbanization and upgrades to consumer demands, the scale of the food industry is continuing to expand, leading to a significant increase in the quantity of by-products and waste. The food industry is actively promoting the green, low-carbon, circular, and efficient development of the sector through the resourceful and high-value utilization of these by-products and waste. For instance, proteins and fibers are extracted from food by-products via enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation to produce feed products with high nutritional value, such as plant-based meats and dairy alternatives. Additionally, high-value healthcare ingredients, including natural vitamin E, phytosterols, and squalene, are extracted from food by-products using advanced techniques such as esterification, urea adduction, enzymatic methods, molecular distillation, and ion exchange. Furthermore, food waste is being transformed into organic fertilizers through processes like high-temperature sterilization, composting, and anaerobic fermentation, which are subsequently used to cultivate high-quality food raw materials. This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for encouraging the development of new processes and the exploration of innovative mechanisms related to the high-value utilization of food by-products and waste. Original papers and reviews focusing on innovative research and technological advancements in this field are warmly welcomed for inclusion in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Yunpu Wang
Dr. Qi Zhang
Dr. Shuhao Huo
Guest Editors

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 by-products
  • food waste
  • high-value utilization
  • healthcare ingredients
  • high-quality food raw materials
  • organic fertilizers

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 4569 KB  
Article
Physicochemical Characterization of Camellia oleifera Husks from Different Regions and Microwave-Assisted RSM Optimization of Tea Saponin Extraction
by Weixian Wu, Yuhuan Liu, Jian Huang, Xiaoyan Liu, Guangda Zhang, Zhiqiang Gu, Shuangquan Huang, Yunpu Wang and Qi Zhang
Foods 2025, 14(19), 3380; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193380 - 29 Sep 2025
Viewed by 295
Abstract
This study investigated the physicochemical properties of Camellia oleifera husks collected from three regions of Jiangxi Province (Ganzhou—GZ, Yichun—YC, and Jiujiang—JJ) and extracted tea saponins via microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MASE), aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of this agricultural [...] Read more.
This study investigated the physicochemical properties of Camellia oleifera husks collected from three regions of Jiangxi Province (Ganzhou—GZ, Yichun—YC, and Jiujiang—JJ) and extracted tea saponins via microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MASE), aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of this agricultural by-product. The husks from YC were rich in bioactive compounds such as tea saponins (16.29 ± 0.02%), with lower cellulose (21.05 ± 1.05%) and lignin (12.48 ± 1.14%) contents and higher hemicellulose (27.40 ± 0.80%) content. The husks from JJ exhibited abundant porosity and a larger specific surface area (40–60 mesh, 4.15 ± 0.04 m2/g). Single-factor extraction experiments indicated that the microstructure and chemical composition of Camellia oleifera husks significantly affected the extraction efficiency of saponins, tannins, and flavonoids. The optimal extraction conditions for tea saponins were established using Box–Behnken response surface methodology, with the liquid-to-solid ratio identified as the most critical factor. Optimal conditions for GZ husks were a liquid-to-solid ratio of 46.75 mL/g, ethanol concentration of 35.5%, extraction time of 6 min, and microwave power of 350 W, with the extraction yield of 7.49 ± 0.01%. Optimal conditions for YC husks were a liquid-to-solid ratio of 50.55 mL/g, ethanol concentration of 40.13%, extraction time of 6 min, and microwave power of 350 W, with the extraction yield of 16.29 ± 0.02%. Optimal conditions for JJ husks were a liquid-to-solid ratio of 47.44 mL/g, ethanol concentration of 37.28%, extraction time of 6 min, and microwave power of 350 W, with the extraction yield of 9.39 ± 0.02%. The study provides important scientific evidence for understanding the structure–function relationship of Camellia oleifera husks and offers practical guidance for developing sustainable industrial processes to convert agricultural by-products into high-value bioactive compounds, thereby promoting resource recycling and economic benefits in the Camellia oleifera industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Production from Waste and By-Products in the Food Industry)
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25 pages, 6538 KB  
Article
Dual Blockade of PI3K and EGFR Pathways by Flavonoids from Idesia polycarpa Maxim Cake Meal: Valorization of Agro-Industrial Waste for NSCLC Therapy
by Zhenyu Yang, Kai Luo, Dan Chen, Lei Dou, Xiufang Huang and Jianquan Kan
Foods 2025, 14(18), 3278; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14183278 - 22 Sep 2025
Viewed by 482
Abstract
Efficient utilization of food industry waste supports sustainable development. Idesia polycarpa Maxim cake meal (an oil-processing by-product) is rich in bioactive flavonoids, but the refined purification, anti-non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) activity, and mechanism of its total flavonoids (IPTF) remain unclear—restricting high-value use. [...] Read more.
Efficient utilization of food industry waste supports sustainable development. Idesia polycarpa Maxim cake meal (an oil-processing by-product) is rich in bioactive flavonoids, but the refined purification, anti-non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) activity, and mechanism of its total flavonoids (IPTF) remain unclear—restricting high-value use. This study optimized IPTF purification via polyamide resin gradient elution and characterized its chemical composition by HPLC/LC-MS. In vitro assays assessed IPTF’s effects on A549 cell proliferation, migration, invasion, colony formation, and apoptosis; network pharmacology and molecular docking predicted mechanisms, validated via Western blotting for key signaling pathways. Results showed IPTF purity was significantly improved after purification; HPLC/LC-MS identified rutin, quercetin, and six minor components as key constituents. IPTF inhibited A549 proliferation, and network pharmacology indicated it synergistically targets the PI3K/AKT and EGFR-MAPK pathways—validated by reduced phosphorylation of p-AKT, p-EGFR, and p-ERK. This work offers a novel strategy for I. polycarpa cake meal valorization and highlights IPTF’s potential as a multi-target natural candidate for NSCLC therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Production from Waste and By-Products in the Food Industry)
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12 pages, 612 KB  
Article
Determination of the Quality of Oil Obtained from Protein Hydrolysate Produced Using Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) By-Products
by Koray Korkmaz and Serpil Öztürk
Foods 2025, 14(18), 3227; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14183227 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 423
Abstract
The growing demand for sustainable food sources requires the efficient use of aquaculture by-products. This study aimed to optimize enzymatic hydrolysis conditions for the simultaneous recovery of fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) and oil from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) processing by-products. Hydrolysis [...] Read more.
The growing demand for sustainable food sources requires the efficient use of aquaculture by-products. This study aimed to optimize enzymatic hydrolysis conditions for the simultaneous recovery of fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) and oil from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) processing by-products. Hydrolysis was performed at different temperatures (30–50 °C), enzyme concentrations (0.5–1.5%), and durations (30–90 min), and the optimal conditions were determined as 40 °C, 1% enzyme concentration, and 60 min. Under these conditions, oil yield reached 11.46%, while quality indices remained within acceptable limits (peroxide value: 1.78–3.47 meq O2/kg; thiobarbituric acid reactive substances: 0.41–1.41 mg MDA/kg; free fatty acids: 0.27–4.12%). Fatty acid analysis revealed 22.5% saturated, 46.31% monounsaturated, and 23.52% polyunsaturated fatty acids, including notable levels of EPA and DHA. The protein hydrolysates obtained under optimized conditions contained 22.61% protein and essential amino acids, accounting for 52.4% of the total amino acid content, confirming their high nutritional value. Overall, the findings demonstrate that rainbow trout by-products can be effectively valorized through enzymatic hydrolysis to produce oil and protein hydrolysates of acceptable quality, which may serve as alternative ingredients for food and feed applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Production from Waste and By-Products in the Food Industry)
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