Search Results (878)

Tambatinga (Colossoma macropomum × Piaractus brachypomus), a hybrid Amazonian fish recognized for its superior growth performance, represents a valuable and sustainable source of collagen-rich raw material. Due to its tropical origin, the species’ skin may contain higher levels of amino acids, which can enhance the functional and structural properties of gelatin derived from it. The valorization of fish processing residues for biopolymer production not only mitigates environmental impacts but also reinforces the principles of the circular economy within aquaculture systems. This study explores the development of biopolymer films from Tambatinga skin, an abundant by-product of Brazilian aquaculture. The skins were cleaned and subjected to a hot water–acid extraction process to obtain gelatin. The extracted gelatin exhibited high proline and hydroxyproline contents (12.47 and 9.84 g/100 g of amino acids, respectively) and a Bloom strength of 263.9 g, confirming its suitability for film formation. Films were prepared using 2 g of gelatin per 100 g of film-forming solution, with glycerol added at 10 and 20 g/100 g of gelatin. The resulting films were transparent, flexible, and showed uniform surfaces. Increasing the glycerol concentration reduced tensile strength (from 59.4 to 37.9 MPa) but improved elongation at break (from 116% to 159.1%) and modified the films’ thermal behavior. Moreover, Tambatinga gelatin films demonstrated excellent UV-blocking performance (below 300 nm) and lower water vapor permeability compared to other gelatin-based films reported in the literature. These findings highlight the potential of fish skin—typically regarded as industrial waste—as a renewable and high-value raw material for the production of sustainable biopolymers. This approach supports resource efficiency, waste reduction, and the broader goals of sustainable development and circular bioeconomy. Full article

The growing global demand for clean energy and sustainability has increased interest in lignocellulosic biomass as a viable alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Among the various biomass resources, sugarcane bagasse, an abundant agro-industrial by-product, has emerged as a promising feedstock to produce renewable fuels and value-added chemicals. Its high carbohydrate content offers significant potential for bioconversion. However, its complex and recalcitrant lignocellulosic matrix presents significant challenges that necessitate advanced pretreatment techniques to improve enzymatic digestibility and fermentation efficiency. This review consolidates recent developments in the valorization of sugarcane bagasse focusing on innovative pretreatment and fermentation strategies for sustainable bioethanol production. It emphasizes the synergistic benefits of integrating various pretreatment and fermentation methods to improve bioethanol yields, reduce processing costs and enhance overall process sustainability. This review further explores recent technological advancements, the impact of fermentation inhibitor, and emerging strategies to overcome these challenges through microbial strains and innovative fermentation methods. Additionally, it highlights the multi-faceted advantages of bagasse valorization, including waste minimization, renewable energy production and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. By evaluating the current state of research and outlining future perspectives, this paper serves as a comprehensive guide to advancing the valorization of sugarcane bagasse in the transition towards a low-carbon economy. The novelty of this review lies in its holistic integration of technological, economic, and policy perspectives, uniquely addressing the scalability of integrated pretreatment and fermentation processes for sugarcane bagasse, and outlining practical pathways for their translation from laboratory to sustainable industrial biorefineries within the circular bioeconomy framework. Full article

The limestone quarrying and processing industry generates huge amounts of waste, with limestone sludge being one of the most prevalent and challenging by-products. This study aims to evaluate the potential of limestone sludge as a sustainable secondary raw material for the mechanochemical synthesis of bioceramics, specifically hydroxyapatite (HA), for high-added-value applications in bone tissue engineering. High-energy milling is innovatively used as the processing route: dry sludge (functioning as the calcium source), a phosphate source, and water were milled with the aim of producing calcium phosphates (in particular, hydroxyapatite) via mechanosynthesis. The industrial sludge was thoroughly analyzed for chemical composition, heavy metals, and mineral phases to ensure suitability for biomedical applications. The mixture of reagents was tailored to comply with Ca/P = 1.67 molar ratio. Milling was carried out at room temperature; the milling velocity was 600 rpm, and milling time ranged from 5 to 650 min. Characterization by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and SEM confirmed the progressive transformation of calcite into hydroxyapatite through a metastable DCPD intermediate, following logarithmic reaction kinetics. The resulting powders are fine, homogeneous, and phase-pure, demonstrating that mechanosynthesis provides a low-cost and environmentally friendly pathway to convert limestone waste into functional bioceramic materials. This suggests that Moleanos sludge is a viable and sustainable source to produce tailored calcium phosphates and confirms mechanosynthesis as a cost-effective and reliable technology to activate the low-kinetics chemical reactions in the CaCO₃-H₃PO₄–H₂O system. This work highlights a novel circular economy approach for the valorization of industrial limestone sludge, turning a difficult waste stream into a high-value, sustainable resource. Full article

In light of the growing concerns of consumers who are increasingly turning towards healthier food options, both researchers and producers in the food industry are exploring the use of agro-industrial by-products as nutritionally valuable ingredients. This strategy not only enables the development of value-added food products, but also supports sustainability through the valorization of waste. Blackcurrant pomace (BP), a by-product obtained after juice extraction, has been shown to be rich in bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and anthocyanin pigments. For these reasons, the innovative aspect of the study was its use of different proportions of BP powder, 5%, 10%, and 15%, when obtaining new varieties of stirred yogurt. This study assesses the impact of BP powder on the stirred yogurt’s antioxidant content, physicochemical properties, color, microbiological characteristics, and sensory qualities. The findings showed that BP powder intensified the yogurts’ coloration and considerably improved their antioxidant activity (which ranged from 8.21 ± 0.35 to 21.15 ± 0.49 µmol TE/g DM) and nutritional quality. The panelists’ positive acceptance was confirmed by sensory evaluation, and the 10% BP formulation (DBBP2) was rated as the most favorable. These results show that BP is a valuable ingredient for enhancing dairy products, creating nutritious, appealing yogurts while promoting sustainable food production and valorization of food waste. Full article

Cheese manufacturing generates large volumes of whey with high biochemical and chemical oxygen demand, historically treated as waste. Yet, whey is rich in lactose, proteins, and minerals that can be fractionated and upgraded into foods and bio-based products. During cheese production, 80% to 90% of the total volume is discarded as whey, which can cause severe pollution. However, milk by-products can be a natural source of high-value-added compounds and a cost-effective substrate for microbial growth and metabolites production. The current review focuses on cheese whey as a key milk by-product, highlighting its generation and composition, the challenges associated with its production, methods for fractionating whey to recover bioactive compounds, its applications in functional food development, the barriers to its broader use in the food sector, and its potential as a substrate for producing value-added compounds. Particularly, the focus was on the recent solutions to use cheese whey as a primary material for microbial fermentation and enzymatic processes, producing a diverse range of chemicals and products for applications in the pharmaceutical, food, and biotechnology industries. This review contributes to defining a framework for reducing the environmental impacts of whey through its application in designing foods and generating biomaterials. Full article

Carrot pomace is the solid residue left after juice extraction from carrots. Carrot pomace, typically seen as waste, is gaining recognition for its sustainability and potential to mitigate food waste while offering essential nutrients (phenolics, carotenoids, and β-carotene), which are recognized for their nutraceutical effects and health benefits. A study was conducted to develop a process for creating an innovative product, specifically a carp roe salad with added value, by incorporating carrot pomace. The innovative aspect is represented by using different proportions of carrot powder, 6% and 12%, when creating new varieties of roe salad. The study assesses the impact of carrot pomace powder on the salad’s antioxidant content, physicochemical properties, color, texture, rheological characteristics, and sensory qualities. The value-added products thus obtained are differentiated by superior phytochemical and nutritional characteristics, especially levels of carotenoids (84.01 ± 3.39–111.01 ± 1.68 mg/100 g DW), and the antioxidant activity (550.66 ± 9.25–588.32 ± 9.41 μM TE/g DW) of the developed salad. The obtained products displayed an improved color and texture profile. The sensory evaluation reveals that the carp roe salad with 12% carrot powder was favorably received by consumers, who valued the nuanced changes in flavor and the improved coloration of the product. Rich in antioxidants, fibers, and natural colorants, carrot pomace enhances the product’s value by increasing antioxidant activity and positively influencing sensory properties such as color and aroma. This research highlights the potential of using food by-products to create innovative, value-added products with improved health benefits. Full article

The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has gained increasing attention as a sustainable protein source for animal feed. This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with hemp seed oil (HSO) at 0.5–6% concentrations on the growth performance and nutritional composition of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). Larval development, survival rate, body weight, and adult longevity were evaluated under controlled conditions. In addition, chemical characterization of HSO was performed, and the proximate composition, mineral content, and amino acid profile of dried larvae were analyzed. The results indicated that HSO supplementation had no statistically significant effect on developmental time, survival rate, biomass accumulation, or adult lifespan compared to the control. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling of HSO revealed a wide range of bioactive compounds, including unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), phytosterols, cannabinoids, and tocopherols. The BSFL showed high levels of fat and energy, with essential amino acids and minerals present in favorable concentrations for feed applications. The HSO improves the protein levels at the 0.5–1.0% concentration, with negative correlations at higher concentrations. The findings suggest that HSO can be integrated into BSFL diets without adverse effects on growth performance, while potentially enhancing the functional value of the larvae. This supports the feasibility of incorporating hemp by-products into insect-rearing systems to promote circular and value-added feed production. Full article

β-Glucan from Tibetan highland barley (THB) is an excellent edible gel polysaccharide due to its unique hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. However, direct extraction of β-glucan from THB exhibits low yields with higher costs. Given that highland barley spent grain (BSG) is a byproduct of the brewing process and is frequently considered waste, the efficient extraction of its β-glucan could promote high-value repurposing of BSG. In this study, 2.74% β-glucan (BSG-B) was extracted from Rhizopus oryzae (R. oryzae)-fermented BSG, which is lower than those from THB (THB-B: 4.62%) yet enabled value-added utilization of BSG. The molecular weight of BSG-B was 5.24 × 10⁶ Da, which significantly increased by 124.89% compared to that of THB-B. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy showed similar absorption peaks in BSG-B and THB-B, except for structural modifications in the β-glucan pyranose ring induced by the fermentation of R. oryzae. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated that BSG-B possesses a more compact structure and lower aggregation heights compared to THB-B. Moreover, BSG-B demonstrated superior antioxidant capacities to THB-B in NO/DPPH/ABTS/reducing power assays, and lower apparent viscosity and oil adsorption capacity, likely attributed to the fermentation of R. oryzae. This study establishes a foundation for extracting higher-molecular-weight antioxidant β-glucan from BSG. Full article

Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) is a highly abundant, nutrient-rich by-product generated by the brewing sector. Upcycling and reusing by-products from the food sector have become necessary to achieve sustainable food security globally. This research investigated traditional and novel pretreatments to modify the properties of BSG for better utilisation as a food ingredient. In this study, BSG was ground and subsequently processed in two different ways: ultrasonicated for 15 min and fermented with lactic acid bacteria for 24, 48, and 72 h. Influences of fermentation and ultrasonication on the antioxidant activity, thermal properties, colour, chemical composition, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) were then investigated. There was a general increase in the antioxidant properties of BSG flour ultrasonicated for 15 min (FRAP, 4.35 mgTE/g; DPPH, 65.87%; ABTS, 37.29%) and fermented BSG flour fermented with Lactococcus lactis (48 h) (FRAP, 2.29 mgTE/g; 63.93%; 24.48%) compared to native BSG (2.10 mgTE/g, FRAP; 65.87%, DPPH; 23.50%, ABTS). The highest percentage of fibre (28%) was observed in BSG fermented for 24 h. There was also increase in colour value (L*, 56.33–59.07; a*, 3.18–3.65; b*, 9.61–10.70), TPC, and TFC (0.13–0.16 and 0.37–1.30, respectively), and variations in peak intensities on the thermogram. These results indicate that ultrasound and fermentation are promising technologies for the enhanced valorisation of BSG for value-added food product development. Full article

Rose processing into essentials oil is one of the major sectors providing inputs for cosmetics and health/food supplements industry, generating significant amount of wastewater if applying the steam distillation approach. Rose distillation wastewater (RDW), the major by-product of rose processing, still contains a significant load of polyphenolic compounds. This organic burden poses a significant environmental threat for RDW disposal, while, on the other hand, it still contains valuable compounds that could be valorized in the circular economy framework. This study has investigated the possibility of utilizing RDW in various concentrations (10%, 25%, 100% v/v) as a circular tomato growth biostimulant, addressing the existing research gap in the field of circular RDW valorization and its effects on plant growth modulation. LC-MS/MS and antioxidant assays have confirmed a rich antioxidant profile of RDW samples, with gallic acid, quinic acid, quercetin, kaempferol and their glycosides as the most abundant compounds. Tomato germination assays have resulted in significantly improved germination and initial seedling growth parameters when 10% RDW samples PA (‘Pure Aroma’), MA (‘Magic Aroma’) and NA (‘Natural Aroma) had been applied as seed treatment (10 seeds per treatment with each RDW), indicating varying plant growth-promoting potential depending on the RDW chemical composition. The increase in tomato growth parameters compared to the control varied in range 34% (MA)—60% (PA) for root length, 70% (MA)—109% (PA) for shoot length and 43% (MA)—72% (PA) for total seedling length, as well as 43% (MA)—72% (PA) for SVI-I and 40% (NA)—49% (MA) for SVI-II (seedling vigor indices I and II, respectively). Contrarily, the increase in RDW concentration of up to 25% and 100% (v/v) has resulted in inhibition of tomato germination and growth compared to the control (e.g., in range 10–50% (RDW 25%) and 45–87% (RDW 100%) for root length), suggesting the necessity for further optimization of RDW dosage in biostimulant applications. The results of this study open the field of possibilities for further development of circular plant biostimulants based on rose processing by-products, as value-added enrichment of the bio-based solutions portfolio for sustainable agriculture. Full article

Microorganisms exhibit metabolic versatility, which enables their multifaceted application, including in pollutant detoxification, waste recycling, and environmental restoration. Agricultural processing generates substantial byproducts rich in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, which require proper handling to mitigate ecological challenges and reduce carbon footprints. The generation of recalcitrant keratinous biomass and its slow degradation in the environment have prompted technological interventions for sustainable solutions. Fundamentally, chemical, thermal and mechanical processing methods have been utilized in managing keratinous waste. These approaches are not only energy-intensive but also yield low-quality products and exacerbate environmental challenges. Multidimensional research on the microbial-assisted conversion of keratinous waste into valuable products, which aligns with circular economy principles, is underway. The biodegradation of keratinous resources has predominantly employed culturable single microbial strains; however, few studies have recently investigated microbial consortia as a promising strategy. The use of microbial consortia leverages the high cultural stability and complementary metabolic pathways of microbes to achieve excellent keratin biodegradation. Therefore, this study examined the latest advancements in transforming keratinous waste into high-quality protein hydrolysates using microbial strains. It detailed various types of microbial consortia and their roles in the valorization of keratinous biomass, while highlighting some knowledge gaps for future studies. The study also explored the role of ancillary microbial enzymes in facilitating the conversion of keratinous biomass into value-added products. Full article

Valorisation of crab by-products by enzymatic hydrolysis (EH) is proving to be a promising strategy to promote sustainable aquaculture and support a circular economy for crustaceans. Crab processing generates significant amounts of by-products that, if not properly managed, pose an environmental and economic challenge. These by-products are rich in chitin, proteins, and bioactive compounds and offer significant untapped potential for the development of functional feed. This review focuses on the application of enzymatically hydrolysed crab by-products as functional feed additives in aquaculture and their effects on fish growth, health management, and, consequently, human health. Recent studies have shown that EH effectively recovers chitin and bioactive peptides and improves the digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients in aquaculture. The inclusion of crude chitin, along with residual proteins and calcium carbonate, in the diet of farmed fish has been associated with increased growth, improved immune responses, and greater disease resistance, emphasising their critical role in fish health management. In addition, these functional additives contribute to the development of innovative aquafeeds with high added value and improved nutritional quality, while reducing environmental waste. Overall, the utilisation of crustacean by-products through enzymatic hydrolysis represents a valuable tool for the sustainable development of crustacean aquaculture, promotes the circular economy, and supports the development of innovative functional feeds while improving the growth and health of farmed fish, which has a positive impact on human health through their consumption. Full article

This study evaluated the potential of silibinin linoleate (SL), a natural derivative of silibinin, as an antioxidant to improve the thermal stability of sunflower oil (SF). SL was synthesized through green technology by enzymatic esterification, using mild reaction conditions. SL was added to high-oleic SF samples at three concentrations (200, 400, and 600 ppm), and the oils were subjected to heating at 180 °C for 4 and 8 h. Oxidative stability, fatty acid composition, and nutritional indices were analyzed. The results showed that 600 ppm SL provided the strongest antioxidant effect, significantly reducing oxidation parameters after 8 h of heating, in addition to the following values: peroxide value (PV) 14.22 ± 0.31 meq O₂/kg, p-anisidine value (p-AV) 22.85 ± 0.34, inhibition of oxidation (IO) 56.41 ± 0.31%, and total oxidation value (TOTOX) 51.30 ± 0.39. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed that SL effectively protected the triglyceride structure and limited the formation of oxidation by-products. SL demonstrated a protective effect against thermal oxidation in sunflower oil, with its efficacy being clearly dose-dependent. At 600 ppm, SL showed comparable or superior activity to BHT. However, this effect was specific to the highest tested concentration and does not indicate superiority across all concentrations. These findings suggest that SL has potential as a natural antioxidant for improving oil stability, but further studies are needed to validate SL as a practical and scalable alternative to synthetic antioxidants in the food industry. Full article

The addition of sea buckthorn(Hippophae rhamnoides L.) fruits as well as their extracted juice or, even more interestingly, related by-products into chocolate results in manufacturing an innovative functional food rich in bioactive substances. Thirteen treatments derived from the factorial combination of three types of H. rhamnoides materials (total fruit powder; fruit by-product powder; and fruit juice) and four concentrations (10%, 15%, 20% and 25%), plus an untreated control, were compared in terms of texture, quality, colour, antioxidant, mineral and sensorial properties of white chocolate. The untreated control showed the highest values of most of the texture parameters, as well as of pH, dry matter, soluble solids and colour component ‘L’. The colour component ‘b’ was best influenced by the 10% by-product addition to chocolate, whereas mineral substances, ash and colour component ‘a’ augmented with the increasing concentration of added H. rhamnoides materials. Compared to the untreated control, protein and fat contents in chocolate decreased with the rising added concentration of sea buckthorn fruit juice but showed the opposite trend under the integration of the whole fruit and its by-products. The antioxidant compounds and activity increased from the untreated chocolate to the highest concentration of added sea buckthorn materials. The juice addition to the chocolate best affected vitamin C, total carotenoids, β-carotene and lycopene, whereas the whole fruit integration led to the top levels of flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidant activity. Potassium and zinc contents decreased from the untreated control to the highest H. rhamnoides material addition, whereas opposite trends were shown by calcium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus. The integration of H. rhamnoides fruit materials into chocolate presents a valuable strategy to produce innovative health beneficial functional food. Full article

This study presents a sustainable upcycling strategy to convert “Pit,” a carbon-rich coke oven by-product from steel manufacturing, into high-purity graphite for use as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries. Despite its high carbon content, raw Pit contains significant impurities and has irregular particle morphology, which limits its direct application in batteries. We employed a multi-step, additive-free refinement process—including jet milling, spheroidization, and high-temperature graphitization—to enhance carbon purity and structural properties. The processed Pit-derived graphite showed a much-improved particle size distribution (D50 reduced from 25.3 μm to 14.8 μm & Span reduced from 1.72 to 1.23), increased tap density (from 0.54 to 0.80 g/cm³), and reduced BET surface area, making it suitable for high-performance lithium-ion batteries anodes. Structural characterization by XRD and TEM confirmed dramatically enhanced crystallinity after graphitization (graphitization degree increasing from ~13 for raw Pit to 95.7% for graphitized Pit at 3000 °C). The fully processed graphite (denoted S_Pit3000) delivered a reversible discharge capacity of 346.7 mAh/g with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 93.5% in half-cell tests—comparable to commercial artificial graphite. Furthermore, when composited with silicon oxide to form a hybrid anode, the material achieved an even higher capacity of 418.0 mAh/g under high mass loading conditions. These results highlight the feasibility of transforming industrial coke waste into value-added electrode materials through environmentally friendly physical processes. The upcycled graphite anode meets industrial performance standards, demonstrating a promising route toward circular economy solutions in both the steel and battery industries. Full article