Search Results (1,039)

Native Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) isolated from fruits and vegetables in Chile’s Maule Region were identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and L. pentosus. Their growth and lactic acid production were evaluated under furan inhibitor stress (furfural and 5-methylfurfural (5-MF)) relevant to agroindustrial waste valorization. In fruit hydrolysates containing natural furans (11–57 mg/L), LAB grew similarly to inhibitor-free controls and produced 17–25 g/L lactic acid. Under controlled conditions, furfural at 12 g/L reduced bacterial growth by over 80% and decreased lactic acid production to only 2 g/L. In contrast, 5-MF at the same concentration allowed substantially higher tolerance, with up to 7 g/L lactic acid. Benchmarked directly against the commercial reference strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PL8014 under identical conditions, the native isolate B1 matched or exceeded PL8014’s lactic acid output in most furfural and 5-MF concentrations tested, including the two most severe 5-MF conditions. Logistic growth and Luedeking–Piret models accurately described both bacterial growth dynamics and lactic acid production kinetics under all inhibitory conditions (R² > 0.96). Inhibitor concentration proved more critical than inhibitor type, although furfural consistently showed stronger potency. These findings confirm the biotechnological potential of native Maule LAB and provide quantitative kinetic parameters for optimizing lactic acid production from lignocellulosic waste, supporting circular economy strategies. Full article

Food price inflation provides an important economic context for consumer behaviour related to food; however, its impact on sustainable and responsible food consumption remains understudied. This cross-sectional study analyzed self-reported changes in food-related behaviour among Polish consumers during a period of strong upward pressure on food prices and identified demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with the intensity of these changes. In June 2023, a CAWI survey was conducted among a quota sample of 1000 adults in Poland, representative in terms of age and gender. To assess changes in the analyzed areas of food-related behaviours (food procurement, shopping planning, meal preparation, use of food service establishments, consumption of selected food products, and food waste), the Friedman test and the Wilcoxon test with Holm correction were used. To examine the relationship between the reported changes and the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents, a synthetic change-intensity index was constructed based on 52 items covering the six behavioural domains. The significance of the relationship was tested using Pearson’s chi-square test and ordinal logistic regression. Respondents reported changes in all areas analyzed. A decline in the consumption of selected food groups was observed, including fresh fruits and vegetables and fish, with the largest decline in consumption noted for alcoholic beverages. The extent of these changes varied significantly according to characteristics such as age, place of residence, employment status, source of income, and income level. The results indicate that high food price pressures were accompanied by multidimensional changes in consumer food-related behaviours, including more frugal management of food resources and reduced consumption of certain food products. These results underscore the importance of maintaining economic access to nutritionally dense foods, particularly among economically vulnerable households. Full article

In this work we present an integrated market, experimental, technical and economic approach to citrus waste valorization based on the extraction of essential oils from orange, lemon, lime and tangerine peels using supercritical CO₂, comprising nine varieties of citrus fruits with high production in Brazil and varying harvesting seasons. This approach has been applied to such a variety of citrus waste as a novelty, allowing the observation of specific results for each kind of citrus fruit and a robust evaluation of the proposed process solution, which includes pre-treatment and extraction and may feature energy recovery. The varieties of fruits and volumes of production were selected based on a market assessment for a proposed capacity of approximately 500 kg/d of citrus waste in the extraction facility. Samples of citrus fruit waste were pre-processed by drying at 60 °C for 24 h and submitted to extraction using CO₂ at 150 bar and 35 °C for 30 min. The provisional results of the extractions (0.33% to 4.00% wt. oil yield) were used to perform the simulation of the extraction facility and estimate the cost of manufacture of essential oil, which ranged from US$26.70 to US$323.86/kg of extract, depending on the variety of citrus fruit. As an illustrative result of the application of the present screening approach, the cost of the production of essential oils from terra, bahia, seleta and lima oranges, as well as lemons, limes and tangerines, was compatible with the market price, while the costs of manufacturing pera and valencia orange essential oils were higher than the average price for cosmetic-grade and food-grade orange oil. The use of energy recovery in the CO₂ cycle would further increase the environmental sustainability of this strategy, with 55% lower energy consumption. Full article

Approximately 5–33% of the dates growing in Saudi Arabia are downgraded to low-quality fruit that either goes to waste or is used to make animal feed, which is considered a potential feedstock abundant in sugar. By a thorough comparative study, this study evaluated the up-cycling of low-quality Saudi dates (Wannana, Shagra, Sabbaka, Barhi, Saqai, Khalas and Sukkari) as fermentation substrates for xanthan gum production by Xanthomonas campestris. Pure glucose, pure sucrose, and a commercial standard were used as a baseline. The sole carbon source was date juice (≈12.5–17 °Brix) in a batch aerobic fermentation conducted at the standard conditions of temperature (30 °C), speed 180 rpm, and time (120 h). The xanthan gum was quantified and tested for its properties like functional groups (FTIR), color, thermal behavior (TGA and DSC), and rheology in the form of both steady- and dynamic-shear rheology. Xanthan gum was produced in the range 5.60–7.77 g L⁻¹ by the date-based substrates with Barhi (7.77 g L⁻¹) and Saqai (7.58 g L⁻¹) surpassing those of the glucose (6.68 g L⁻¹) and sucrose (6.23 g L⁻¹) controls. FTIR spectra of date-derived gums were almost identical to that of the commercial standard, indicating that their functional groups and the primary structure were very similar. In addition, the date-derived powders were darker and yellower (L* 61.09, 71.00; whiteness index 54.92, 63.34) than the commercial gum (L* 84.71; whiteness index 78.19). This is likely attributed to the presence of residue date pigmentation and products of Maillard and caramelization. Thermogravimetric analyses revealed that the breakdown of materials occurred in two stages, of which the char residue of the date-derived gums was much higher for those degraded at 500 °C (48.93, 54.05%) versus that of the commercial reference (33.49%), which is to be interpreted as a better ability of the former to resist thermal degradation. All solutions acted as pseudoplastic, shear-thinning liquids (flow behavior index n < 1); the consistency coefficient (K) rose with concentration and fell with temperature. The activation energy varied between 9.98 kJ mol⁻¹ (commercial) and 29.39 kJ mol⁻¹ (Saqai). Overall, low-quality Saudi dates can be considered a technically and economically viable, sustainable, and low-cost carbon substrate suitable for upcycling to produce xanthan gum, which is safe for use as a food additive. Full article

The intensive use of mineral fertilizers in horticultural systems has improved crop productivity but also increased concerns regarding soil degradation and environmental sustainability. In this context, vermicompost derived from buffalo manure may represent a sustainable alternative for nutrient management and organic waste valorization. This study evaluated the effects of four fertilization strategies on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown in loam and clay soils: unfertilized control, mineral fertilization, vermicompost applied at an equivalent nitrogen rate, and the residual effect of vermicompost from a previous cauliflower crop. Agronomic performance, fruit quality, carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and antioxidant-related traits were assessed. Mineral fertilization produced the highest marketable yield, reaching 9.68 and 7.69 kg m⁻² in loam and clay soils, respectively, mainly through increased fruit number. Direct vermicompost application maintained substantial productivity, with yields of 7.55 and 5.18 kg m⁻² in the two soils. The fertilization strategies also induced distinct changes in fruit composition. Mineral fertilization increased total free amino acids to approximately 160 mg g⁻¹ DW, mainly through the accumulation of glutamine, glutamate, asparagine and γ-aminobutyric acid, but was associated with lower soluble solids and antioxidant activity. Vermicompost promoted the highest lycopene concentration, approximately 2.1 mg g⁻¹ DW, in clay soil and maintained intermediate antioxidant activity and amino acid concentrations. Soil texture also influenced carbohydrate partitioning, with greater fructose accumulation in clay soil and greater starch accumulation in loam soil. The residual vermicompost treatment alone did not adequately sustain tomato productivity or metabolic activity, particularly in clay soil. Overall, vermicompost partially replaced mineral fertilization while maintaining satisfactory yield and modulating fruit metabolic quality, although its effectiveness depended strongly on soil texture. Full article

The pollution generated during the synthesis and processing of synthetic fibers demands new raw materials for the textile industry. Natural fibers are a good solution due to their increased comfort while wearing, and their biodegradability. However, the use of some of these fibers, such as cotton or ramie, comes with limitations like competition with edible plants for land and water during cultivation, and the pollution generated during their processing. Thus, finding other sources of fibers that do not compete with plants for food seems to be a good solution. Pineapple fibers represent a good example of synergy, with the fruit being intended for food while the leaves, once considered waste, can be valorized as fibers. This paper describes the progress in research on obtaining pineapple fibers and their properties depending on their mode of preparation. The technical progress in preparing pineapple fibers is emphasized. Their application in textile materials, alone or as composites, is presented. According to the literature, pineapple fibers may also be applied in other fields besides the textile industry. Moreover, the fact that waste is the raw material for these fibers represents a great asset, and the development of new technologies for their production and application is recommended. Full article

The sustainability of livestock production currently faces a challenge due to the need to meet a growing demand for animal protein while simultaneously addressing the urgent need to reduce its environmental footprint. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Musa spp. waste fodder on ruminal fermentation and mitigation of gas, CH₄ and CO₂ production in vitro. Waste forage (leaves) was collected immediately after harvesting the fruit of Musa acuminata, Musa balbisiana, and Musa paradisiaca (six production farms were selected for each Musa spp.; 20 kg of fresh forage was collected from each farm). A completely randomized design was used, with three treatments (M. acuminata, M. balbisiana, and M. paradisiaca) and six repetitions (production farms). The digestibility of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) was higher (p = 0.0001) in the waste forage of M. balbisiana (399.3 and 438.6 g/kg, respectively) compared to the other forages evaluated. In the volatile fatty acids, no differences were observed (p > 0.05). Gas production was lower (p < 0.0001) in M. acuminata and M. balbisiana. However, CH₄ production was lower (p < 0.0001) only in M. acuminata. Regarding CO₂ production, it was lower (p < 0.0001) in M. acuminata and M. balbisiana. In conclusion, Musa spp. fodder can be used for ruminant feed due to its high protein content, which in tropical and subtropical regions can be higher than that of many grasses. However, its recommendation and strategic utility for the mitigation of greenhouse gases must be distinguished according to the mitigation objective, since M. balbisiana optimizes the reduction in total gas and CO₂, while M. acuminata does so with CH₄, seeking to maximize the sustainability of livestock production systems, promoting the development of cleaner and more resilient agriculture. Full article

Fungal cellulases are key biocatalysts for lignocellulosic biomass valorization and the development of sustainable biorefineries. This review examines recent advances in the production of endoglucanase (EGL), exoglucanase (EXG), and β-glucosidase (BGL) by fungi of the genera Trichoderma, Aspergillus, and Penicillium under solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF). Emphasis is placed on fermentation strategies, substrate selection, process optimization, and emerging chemometric and artificial intelligence-based approaches. The literature reveals a predominance of SSF systems, especially when agri-food residues such as wheat bran, sugarcane bagasse, rice-derived residues, fruit-processing wastes, and cocoa by-products are employed as low-cost substrates. Among the evaluated genera, Aspergillus was among the most frequently investigated genera and exhibited broad substrate versatility, whereas Trichoderma reesei remains the principal industrial production host for cellulase-rich enzyme preparations used mainly in the saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass for cellulosic ethanol and other biorefinery applications. In contrast, Penicillium stands out as an important source of BGL, complementing cellulase systems derived from other fungi. Temperature, pH, moisture content, and fermentation time were consistently identified as the main factors affecting cellulase biosynthesis, with optimal production generally occurring under mildly acidic conditions and mesophilic temperatures. CCD and BBD were the predominant optimization strategies, while artificial neural network-based models are emerging as promising alternatives. The complementary characteristics of these fungi genera support their application in integrated biomass conversion and future lignocellulosic biorefineries. Full article

Lignocellulosic fruit peel waste represents an abundant, carbon-neutral feedstock for green biohydrogen production via dark fermentation, yet its rigid compact structure and high cellulose crystallinity severely restrict saccharification and fermentative hydrogen yield. In this study, a hydrothermal acidification pretreatment strategy was proposed to boost dark fermentative biohydrogen generation from navel orange peel waste, and systematic investigations were conducted to reveal the regulating mechanisms of key pretreatment parameters (hydrochloric acid concentration, pretreatment temperature, duration) on reducing sugar release and hydrogen-producing performance. Multiscale characterizations including SEM, XRD, FTIR, and TG were integrated to unravel the microstructural and chemical compositional evolution of raw and pretreated substrates. The results demonstrated that hydrothermal acidification effectively disrupted the dense lignocellulosic network of navel orange peel, lowered cellulose crystallinity, and greatly improved substrate accessibility for hydrolytic reactions and microbial adhesion. Under the optimal pretreatment condition (1.0 mol/L HCl, 120 °C, 1 h), the concentration of released reducing sugars reached 10.2 g/L, which was 67.2% higher than that of untreated raw peel. The corresponding maximum cumulative hydrogen yield attained 36.5 mL H₂/g TS, representing a 67.4% improvement relative to the untreated control group. Pearson correlation analysis verified that pretreatment temperature, acid concentration, and duration exhibited strong positive correlations with hemicellulose and cellulose removal efficiencies, while excessive pretreatment (HCl > 1.0 mol/L, temperature > 120 °C, duration > 1 h) generated inhibitory by-products that suppressed microbial hydrogen evolution. This study comprehensively clarifies the structural modification and biohydrogen promotion mechanism of hydrothermal acidification pretreatment on pectin-rich biomass, and delivers a cost-effective, facile technical route for high-value energy valorization and harmless disposal of fruit processing solid wastes. Full article

The purpose of this research is to investigate the potential of aromatic coconut waste-derived biochars, namely coconut husk biochar (CHB) and coconut empty fruit bunch biochar (CBB), as low-cost, sustainable, and locally available adsorbents. Biochars were characterized using SEM, XRD, XPS, and XRF to evaluate their physical and chemical properties, followed by CO₂ uptake, moisture uptake, and methylene blue (MB) adsorption experiments. The results demonstrated that CBB exhibited the highest CO₂ uptake of 4.44 mmol g⁻¹, outperforming CHB (2.39 mmol g⁻¹) under temperature-programmed desorption. Notably, the water-washed biochar (CBB-w) exhibited a marked decrease in CO₂ uptake, providing strong supporting evidence that naturally occurring mineral species play an important role in the CO₂ adsorption mechanism. The quantity and type of naturally occurring potassium-containing oxides and salts strongly influenced CO₂ and moisture uptake. In contrast, isotherm analyses using the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich models indicated that CHB exhibited a superior MB adsorption capacity (30 mg g⁻¹), reflecting the different adsorption mechanisms governing gas- and liquid-phase adsorption. The estimated production cost of aromatic coconut waste-derived biochar ranged from approximately US$0.83–1.11 kg⁻¹, depending on production scale. These results demonstrate that aromatic coconut waste-derived biochar represents a promising low-cost and sustainable adsorbent for environmental applications, particularly CO₂ capture and dye removal. Full article

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to limiting the use of nitrates and nitrites in meat products due to concerns regarding their potential health implications. Despite their important technological role in ensuring microbiological safety, oxidative stability, and the development of sensory characteristics of meat products, their use raises health concerns among consumers. These concerns are primarily associated with the potential formation of N-nitrosamines, some of which have been classified possible human carcinogens. In this context, there is growing interest in natural functional additives consistent with the clean-label concept and the zero-waste approach, including raw materials derived from fruit-processing by-products. Fruit-processing by-products, especially berry pomace, are a rich source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Current evidence indicates that the bioactive compounds present in berry pomaces effectively reduce lipid oxidation and exhibit antimicrobial potential, which may contribute to inhibiting the growth of undesirable microorganisms in meat products. However, the effectiveness of this activity depends on several factors, including the type of berry pomace, its phenolic profile, the form of application (e.g., powder, extract, or freeze-dried material), the concentration applied, the type of meat product and the storage conditions. Consequently, berry pomaces should be regarded as natural ingredients supporting nitrite reduction strategies in meat products rather than as complete substitutes for nitrites. Furthermore, although berry pomaces exhibit considerable functional potential, their effectiveness in reducing nitrite levels depends on the type of meat product, its formulation, and the applied processing conditions. Among berry pomaces, red currant pomace (Ribes rubrum) has recently attracted increasing scientific interest because of its rich phenolic profile and promising functional properties. However, compared with chokeberry, blueberry, blackberry, and blackcurrant pomaces, relatively few studies have investigated its application in meat products. Therefore, further research is needed to confirm its technological functionality, antimicrobial efficacy, and potential contribution to nitrite-reduction strategies under different meat-processing conditions. Full article

This study explores the potential of integrating agro-wastes with bamboo biochar to develop optimized substrates for cultivating Lentinus squarrosulus, aiming to enhance mycelial growth, productivity, nutritional quality, and economic returns. The chemical characterization revealed clear contrasts between sawdust and corn dust, where sawdust provided a carbon-rich but nitrogen-limited structure, while corn dust offered a greater nutrient availability. When formulated into mixed substrates, particularly at a 50:50 ratio, a more balanced physicochemical profile was achieved, improving substrate suitability for fungal growth. The incorporation of biochar (1–10%) further enhanced substrate performance by improving porosity, nutrient retention, and pH stability. Among treatments, mixed substrates supplemented with 5–10% biochar exhibited the highest mycelial growth rates and dense colonization, significantly reducing contamination rates. These conditions facilitated production cycles, with earlier primordia formation and harvesting compared to single-substrate systems. Yield performance was markedly improved in mixed formulations, especially those containing 1–5% biochar, which produced the highest fruiting body numbers, weights, and total yields. Biological efficiency exceeded 99% in optimal treatments, indicating highly efficient substrate conversion. Nutritional analysis demonstrated that substrate composition also influenced mushroom quality, with corn dust enhancing protein content, while mixed substrates promoted balanced fiber, carbohydrate, and energy profiles. Economic evaluation confirmed that integrating agro-wastes with moderate biochar levels significantly increased profitability, with the 50:50 sawdust–corn dust formulation supplemented with 5% biochar yielding the highest returns. Overall, this study highlights that strategic substrate design, balancing lignocellulosic structure, nutrient availability, and physicochemical properties, can substantially improve mushroom productivity and economic viability. Full article

Fruit and vegetable by-products can be interpreted more usefully as postharvest crop-derived tissue fractions than as generic waste streams or sources of recoverable compounds. This integrative review synthesizes evidence on plant tissues, postharvest quality, stabilization, safety, and analytical characterization to develop a tissue-to-raw-material framework for plant-based food development. The framework begins with crop source, cultivar or maturity, organ/tissue identity, and postharvest history, and then links these variables to stabilization, safety screening, analytical evidence, intended-use specifications, and route assignment. Brassicaceae crops—including napa cabbage, radish, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower—serve as representative cases because their leafy, root, stem, core, stalk, and trimming fractions differ in water status, tissue fragility, sulfur-related traits, sensory constraints, and stabilization needs. Application suitability is therefore assessed from tissue identity, postharvest condition, stabilization history, safety status, and intended-use specifications rather than compound richness alone. Within this framework, zero-waste development means assigning a documented tissue fraction to a supported food, fermentation, coating/film, or selected secondary-material route, while using lower-risk assignment, downgrading, or exclusion where traceability, safety, stability, or specification evidence remains insufficient. Full article

The inefficient management of agro-industrial residues, particularly cocoa pod husk and mucilage, represents a critical environmental and economic challenge in Santander and Norte de Santander, Colombia, where over 55,000 tons of biomass waste are generated annually from a regional production exceeding 23,500 tons of cocoa beans. Furthermore, these residues, which constitute approximately 70% to 75% of the fruit’s total weight, are currently underutilized, generating severe localized pollution through uncontrolled decomposition and causing substantial economic losses by wasting compounds with high valorization potential. This article proposes the design and systematic experimental calibration and internal cross-validation of an empirical model based on artificial intelligence capable of predicting quantities of valuable compounds, including bioethanol, essential oils, paraffins, antioxidants, and pectins, obtained from cocoa residues. The model integrates critical variables such as cocoa variety, extraction methods, and process conditions, incorporating advanced machine learning techniques trained on a 100% empirical database of eighty-four (84) laboratory trials, combined with a post-inference sensitivity analysis via the Monte Carlo method with 10,000 simulations. Preliminary results demonstrate significant varietal differences; for instance, the CCN-51 variety achieves a mean bioethanol yield of 79.30 ± 4.96 mL/kg with a 95% confidence interval of (69.44–88.93) mL/kg, while the Criollo variety reaches 43.55 ± 2.72 mL/kg (38.14–48.84 mL/kg), exhibiting highly synchronized coefficients of variation of 6.255% and 6.246%, respectively. Furthermore, the integration of a cascading extraction sequence combined with neural networks may potentially contribute to maximizing by-product yields, with theoretical mass balance estimations suggesting a possible reduction of up to 40% in final residue generation compared to conventional isolated extraction pathways, as detailed in the proposed framework. This tool could potentially support the circular economy and alignment with Sustainable Development Goals 7, 9, and 12, while offering a possible pathway to contribute to the competitiveness of the Colombian cocoa industry through data-driven decision-making and sustainable technology adoption. Full article

The increasing generation of agro-industrial by-products from fruit processing represents both an environmental challenge and a valuable opportunity for resource recovery. In this study, tomato, apple, and orange by-products were selected as sustainable substrates for valorization through lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation. The objective was to enhance their functional potential while contributing to waste reduction within a circular bio-economy framework. Selected Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains were applied to each matrix, and microbial growth dynamics were monitored throughout fermentation. In parallel, experimental data were used to build and validate machine learning-assisted models to predict growth kinetics and identify optimal fermentation conditions. To validate the model, the growth of LAB at 32 °C with a bacterial inoculum of approximately 108 CFU/mL was predicted and subsequently compared with experimental results. The developed models demonstrated reliable predictive capability, with low-to-moderate Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) across different substrates and growth parameters, ranging from 0.143 (vMaxAvg in apple) to 7.155 (LagAvg in orange). Following model validation, selected matrix–strain combinations were applied to develop food products, in which fermented by-products were incorporated as functional ingredients. The resulting formulations exhibited enhanced antioxidant activity and increased total phenolic content, as determined by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay and phenolic analysis, reaching 56.56 mg GAE/100 g (p < 0.05) and 33.76 mg Trolox eq./100 g (p < 0.05), respectively. Full article