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Resource Extraction from Agricultural Products/Waste: 2nd Edition
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Resource Extraction from Agricultural Products/Waste: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Resources (ISSN 2079-9276).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 6619

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Dimopoulou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK
Interests: food sustainability; agricultural waste extraction; polysaccharide extraction; physicochemical characterisation; functional applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Athanasios Angelis Dimakis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
Interests: industrial ecology; waste management; circular economy; life cycle assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Antonia Vyrkou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
Interests: life cycle assessment; waste management; valorisation of agricultural waste
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to this Special Issue dedicated to the multifaceted realm of resource extraction from agricultural products and waste. This Special Issue delves into the intricate processes involved in the isolation and purification of valuable chemical constituents inherent in agricultural resources, particularly in the often-overlooked agricultural byproducts.

Beyond merely exploring extraction methodologies, this Special Issue seeks to underscore the significance of agricultural resources as reservoirs of valuable compounds waiting to be harnessed. This Special Issue focuses on both conventional extraction techniques and the latest innovations and environmentally friendly approaches that align with the principles of green chemistry by promoting the broader implications of sustainable resource utilisation in the context of circular economy principles.

Moreover, we welcome contributions that address the crucial aspect of scale-up and process commercialisation, paving the way for the practical implementation of extraction techniques in industrial settings. By bridging the gap between research and industrial applications, we aspire to facilitate the integration of efficient extraction processes into real-world scenarios, thereby maximising the utilisation of agricultural resources and minimising waste along with insights into their functional applications.

We also invite submissions that explore separation and purification techniques tailored to the specific characteristics of agricultural resources. By elucidating efficient separation processes, we aim to enhance the downstream processing of agricultural materials, unlocking their full potential for various industrial applications.

This Special Issue aims to foster a deeper understanding of the diverse array of agricultural resources and waste streams, positioning them as valuable reservoirs of chemical constituents with immense potential and thus not merely as byproducts. By emphasising the resource perspective, we hope to catalyse discussions and innovations that contribute to the sustainable utilisation of agricultural resources, thereby promoting environmental stewardship and economic viability.

Dr. Maria Dimopoulou
Dr. Athanasios Angelis Dimakis
Guest Editors

Dr. Antonia Vyrkou
Guest Editor Assistant

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. Resources is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 1600 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

  • resources
  • extraction techniques: conventionality, green impacts, and sustainability
  • separation and purification methodologies
  • agricultural resources/wastes
  • industrial applications

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1605 KiB  
Article
By-Products from Five Grape Varieties Grown in Northwest Mexico Are Sources of Bioaccessible and Bioavailable Phenolic Compounds in a Simulated Digestion
by Norma Julieta Salazar-López, Rosario Maribel Robles-Sánchez, Julio Cesar Armenta-Gorosave, J. Abraham Domínguez-Avila, Gustavo A. González-Aguilar and Elisa Magaña-Barajas
Resources 2025, 14(4), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources14040065 - 14 Apr 2025
Viewed by 212
Abstract
The inclusion of by-products or discarded fruit in a second value chain can be a strategy to contribute to sustainable food production and consumption, with a focus on following a circular economy model, since certain by-products may be a source of nutrients and [...] Read more.
The inclusion of by-products or discarded fruit in a second value chain can be a strategy to contribute to sustainable food production and consumption, with a focus on following a circular economy model, since certain by-products may be a source of nutrients and compounds with biological potential. The objective of this research was to evaluate the content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of by-products from five non-marketable grape varieties, as well as the bioaccessibility and absorption of their phenolic compounds during a simulated digestion, in order to support their potential use as sources of health-promoting compounds of interest. By-products of five grape varieties grown in northwest Mexico were evaluated. They were manually divided into two fractions, skin and pulp + seed, and subjected to a simulated digestion. Grape skin had the highest concentration of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. Catechin exhibited the highest bioaccessibility and absorption, although 40% of this compound was compromised during simulated digestion. Catechin, quercetin, and protocatechuic acid contained in grape by-products make them attractive for insertion into a second value chain with potential uses, such as applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Additional research is required to evaluate potential applications, ensuring that these alternative uses are profitable and sustainable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Extraction from Agricultural Products/Waste: 2nd Edition)
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23 pages, 5048 KiB  
Article
Coffee By-Products and Chitosan for Preventing Contamination for Botrytis sp. and Rhizopus sp. in Blueberry Commercialization
by Gonzalo Hernández-López and Laura Leticia Barrera-Necha
Resources 2025, 14(3), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources14030048 - 17 Mar 2025
Viewed by 755
Abstract
In blueberry storage, non-biodegradable synthetic plastic packaging is used for commercializing this product. The fungi Botrytis sp. and Rhizopus sp. can cause significant losses in postharvest blueberry commercialization. Consequently, the formulations of degradable polymeric based on polylactic acid (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) 60/40 (PP) [...] Read more.
In blueberry storage, non-biodegradable synthetic plastic packaging is used for commercializing this product. The fungi Botrytis sp. and Rhizopus sp. can cause significant losses in postharvest blueberry commercialization. Consequently, the formulations of degradable polymeric based on polylactic acid (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) 60/40 (PP) with coffee parchment (CP), green coffee bean oil (GCBO), chitosan solution (Ch), chitosan nanoparticles (ChNp), and nanostructured coating (NC) were used to develop biodegradable polymer matrix (PM). Caffeine and hexadecanoic acid were identified as principal compounds in GCBO, and the principal compounds in CP were flavonoids, terpenes, and lignans. The 100% mycelial growth inhibition to Botrytis sp. and Rhizopus sp. was observed using GCBO, Ch, ChNp, and NC in high concentrations. GCBO inhibited 100% of spore production in both fungi at all evaluated doses. In the in vivo tests, when compared to the control, the better treatments were: CP for Botrytis sp., with an incidence of 46.6% and a severity of 16%; and Ch for Rhizopus sp., with an incidence of 13.3% and a severity of 0.86%. The PM in the culture medium presented a fungistatic effect. The principal inhibition of mycelial growth (63%) on Botrytis sp. was with PLA/PBAT+NC (PP+NC), and (100%) was observed with PLA/PBAT+CP+NC (PPCP+NC), PP, and PP+NC on Rhizopus sp. Coffee by-products and PM have potential for the control of postharvest fungi in fruits and vegetables. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Extraction from Agricultural Products/Waste: 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 577 KiB  
Article
Fungal Submerged Fermentation of Coffee Silverskin: A Sustainable Source of Natural Meat Additives
by Stephany Carolina Terán-Rivera, Gastón Ramón Torrescano-Urrutia, Brisa del Mar Torres-Martínez, Martín Esqueda-Valle, Félix Joel Ibarra-Arias, Armida Sánchez-Escalante and Rey David Vargas-Sánchez
Resources 2025, 14(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources14010006 - 27 Dec 2024
Viewed by 962
Abstract
The coffee industry, while processing coffee beans, generates residues like husk, pulp, and silverskin, which have been considered a promising source of bioactive metabolites. Recovering these metabolites offers a sustainable strategy to obtain natural food additives. Based on the above, this study aimed [...] Read more.
The coffee industry, while processing coffee beans, generates residues like husk, pulp, and silverskin, which have been considered a promising source of bioactive metabolites. Recovering these metabolites offers a sustainable strategy to obtain natural food additives. Based on the above, this study aimed to determine the effect of the aqueous extract obtained from maceration and fungal fermented coffee silverskin (CSS) on ground pork meat’s oxidative and microbiological stability. Treatments used to recover bioactive compounds from CSS were the following: maceration extraction (ME) using 0, 1.5, and 3.0% of CSS (ME–0%, ME–1.5%, and ME–3%); fungal submerged fermentation extraction (FE) using 0, 1.5, and 3.0% of CSS (FE–0%, FE–1.5%, and FE–3%) and Pleurotus pulmonarius mycelium. Concerning metabolite content and bioactivity, results showed a decrease in the carbohydrate content of the ME and FE-obtained, as well as an increase in the phenol, flavonoid, and caffeoylquinic acid content. Also, an increase in radical cation scavenging activity, reducing power values and antibacterial activity of the extracts obtained with FE, was observed. Regarding pork meat homogenate treated with ME and FE extracts and subjected to oxidation with potassium ferrocyanide, results demonstrated that inclusion of FE-obtained extract led to decreased pH, lipid oxidation, metmyoglobin, and color changes (L*, a*, b*, C*, and h*), and microbial growth. These results demonstrate that CSS aqueous extract obtained with FE can be considered a potential additive for the meat industry with antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Nevertheless, further research is necessary to assess the sensory impact, biochemical mechanism, food safety, sustainability, and industrial feasibility of these extracts for broader applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Extraction from Agricultural Products/Waste: 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 2707 KiB  
Article
The Flash Vacuum Expansion Process Increases the Bioaccessibility and Stability of Antioxidant Compounds in Papaya Puree During Digestion
by Teresita de Jesús Castillo-Romero, Leticia Xochitl López-Martínez, Marco Antonio Salgado-Cervantes, Eber Addí Quintana-Obregón, Gustavo Adolfo González-Aguilar and Manuel Vargas-Ortiz
Resources 2024, 13(12), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13120175 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 901
Abstract
Among all fruits, the papaya ranks among the most significant, occupying fourth place in terms of marketing volumes. The papaya encounters various deterioration issues throughout the marketing chain, which results in the loss of bioactive phytochemicals in the fruit’s pulp. Making puree is [...] Read more.
Among all fruits, the papaya ranks among the most significant, occupying fourth place in terms of marketing volumes. The papaya encounters various deterioration issues throughout the marketing chain, which results in the loss of bioactive phytochemicals in the fruit’s pulp. Making puree is the best way to make papaya pulp last longer, but processing can break down antioxidants like phenolic compounds (which are mostly stored in cell vacuoles) and carotenoids (which are stored in chromoplasts). The flash vacuum expansion process (FVE) promotes an expansion of the water present in the vacuoles, which generates cell rupture and consequently, the release of intracellular components. Because cell rupture is promoted from within the cell, the expulsion of bioactive compounds is more efficient and can therefore increase their bioaccessibility. Our results show that the FVE process increased the antioxidant capacity of the purees (measured by TEAC, FRAP, and DPPH assays) before and during digestion. Our results show that the FVE process significantly enhances the bioaccessibility and stability of antioxidant compounds, providing a clear advantage over the conventional method. Fruit purees generated by FVE can be an ingredient that increases the functionality of foods (juices, nectars, purees, ice creams, and yogurt) aimed at people with digestive problems, baby food, or the use of fruits with low commercial value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Extraction from Agricultural Products/Waste: 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 1529 KiB  
Article
Post-Extractivism and Bioeconomy: An Experimental Analysis of Combustion and Pyrolysis Processes as Alternatives to Add Value to Agro-Residues (Coffee Husks) Generated in Farmer Cooperatives of the Ecuadorian Amazon
by Mario A. Heredia Salgado, Ina Säumel and Luís A. C. Tarelho
Resources 2024, 13(10), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13100142 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1255
Abstract
A post-extractivist development model for communities in the Amazon that is not based on non-renewable resource extraction demands the study and demonstration, in the field, of alternative economic activities that add value to currently generated residual biomass. Following the principles of bioeconomy, this [...] Read more.
A post-extractivist development model for communities in the Amazon that is not based on non-renewable resource extraction demands the study and demonstration, in the field, of alternative economic activities that add value to currently generated residual biomass. Following the principles of bioeconomy, this study presents an experimental analysis of a retort burner and a pilot-scale auger-type pyrolysis reactor used to convert coffee husks generated in a collection and post-harvesting center of a farmer’s cooperative into thermal energy and biochar, respectively. This study shows that coffee husks, whether used as feedstock for combustion or pyrolysis processes, can supply the thermal energy required by the post-harvesting processes. The combustion or pyrolysis of coffee husks avoids its accumulation and decomposition while replacing fossil fuels used in post-harvesting operations, reducing costs and making farmers independent of fossil fuel subsidies. Unlike combustion (11,029.4 mg/Nm3), the CO concentration in the flue gas during the pyrolysis process was 458.3 mg/Nm3, which is below the eco-design standard of 500 mg/Nm3. According to the European Biochar Certificate, carbon content (67.4 wt%) and H/Corg, O/Corg (0.6 and 0.1, respectively) are within the typical values of biochars used for soil amendment and carbon sequestration. Nonetheless, the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons must be assessed to fully regard this material as biochar. Finally, further studies are required to assess the ability of cooperatives to generate and trade carbon credits linked with the application of biochar in their cropping systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Extraction from Agricultural Products/Waste: 2nd Edition)
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11 pages, 2867 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Yield and Physico-Chemical Parameters of Selected Wild Indigenous Fruits in Rwanda
by Gaudence Nishimwe, Suzana Augustino, Anna Sigrun Dahlin and Fidèle Niyitanga
Resources 2024, 13(7), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13070101 - 22 Jul 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1732
Abstract
A study was carried out to assess the physico-chemical characteristics of wild fruits: Myrianthus holstii and Garcinia buchananii, consumed by rural communities in Rwanda. Although the species have been prioritized for domestication in the country, very little information has been documented on [...] Read more.
A study was carried out to assess the physico-chemical characteristics of wild fruits: Myrianthus holstii and Garcinia buchananii, consumed by rural communities in Rwanda. Although the species have been prioritized for domestication in the country, very little information has been documented on their yield potential, morphological traits, and nutritional compositions. Data were collected from nine fruiting trees for each species in the Bugesera and Nyamagabe districts. All fruits per tree were counted and 10 fruits were harvested for characterization. The proximate composition, vitamins, and minerals were analyzed using Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) methods. Analyses of inferential statistics were performed to detect differences in means among the fruits from different populations. The highest yield (279 kg/tree) for M. holstii was recorded in the Musebeya population while the highest (15.12 kg/tree) for G. buchananii was recorded in the Juru populations. The quantities of vitamins A and C in M. holstii fruits ranged from 0.92 mg/100 g to 0.93 mg/100 g and from 19.22 mg/100 g to 19.94 mg/100 g, respectively. The quantities of vitamins A and C in G. buchananii fruits ranged from 0.56 mg/100 g to 0.95 mg/100 g and 33.82 mg/100 g to 34.84 mg/100 g, respectively. The most abundant mineral element recorded in this study was iron (15.95 mg/100 g) found in the M. holstii species and contributing 159.5% of the recommended daily allowance. The results obtained in this work suggest the potential value of G. buchananii and M. holstii for the development of novel products in the food industry. The findings also offer opportunities for tree selection to support their domestication and to reduce pressure on the remaining population in the wild. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resource Extraction from Agricultural Products/Waste: 2nd Edition)
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