From waste to sustainable industry: How can agro-industrial wastes help in the development of new products?

Demand for food production has been promoting an increase in the generation of agro-industrial wastes. Although in the past these wastes were mainly seen as a big issue, in the current scenario they are seen as the key strategy for the development of sustainable industrial processes. In this context, several new environmentally friendly technologies such as supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) have been studied and applied to obtain products with high added value in order to supply the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Similarly, the energy generation from biomass and production of new biomaterials such as bionanofilms, bioaerogels, hydrogels and nanocomposites have been intensely studied in order to cross the barriers of the laboratory scale. Therefore, this review aims to update the scientific community, industries, governments and society on the sustainable applications, latest advances and trends in the valorization of agro-industrial wastes for new product development, highlighting the new possibilities for the progress of sustainable production.

Automated summary

The demand for food production has led to an increase in agricultural industrial waste generation, making it a key strategy for sustainable industrial development. New environmentally friendly technologies have been studied and applied to obtain high value-added products and promote the production of biomass energy and new biomaterials.