Sustainability in Agri-Food Supply Chain: From Farm to Fork

Dear Colleagues,

Agricultural production and the food industry generate a high amount of by-products and waste, having a negative impact on the environmental, economic, and social sectors. Waste is produced by agronomic management practices, damage of vegetables during transportation, storage, unsuitable packaging, and processing. Many of these biomaterials are not utilized and end up in municipal landfills. On the contrary, biowaste valorization can represent an alternative resouce to the disposal or landfilling of waste. The circular economy offers opportunities, strategies and new models to rethink agri-food systems in order to move toward a more sustainable bio-economy and to promote the development of sustainable food systems for current consumers and future generations. In the context of a biorefinery model, bio-energy, innovative chemical and biotechnological processes for the  recovery of bioactive chemicals, and the production of food ingredients and multifunctional materials from by-products and bio-waste can open new competitive market opportunities and social and environmental benefits throughout the agri-food supply chain, from farm to fork.

This Special Issue of Sustainability will address topics relevant to the agri-food sector, from targeted measures in specific production chain processes to more integrated solutions aimed at organisational changes throughout the entire value chain. Articles that assess the sustainability implications (agronomic, environmental, economic, and social impacts or benefits) of the implementation of such technologies and innovations are also encouraged. This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and review articles, as well as theoretical and experimental research articles.

Dr. Roberto Ciccoritti
Dr. Tiziana Amoriello
Guest Editors

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