Valorisation of wheat straw into paper with improved quality characteristics using ultrafiltered xylano-pectinolytic pulping approach

Exploring the environmental and economic impact of fruits and vegetable loss quantification in the food industry

Population growth has stimulated rising demand for agro-food products and economic activity for many years, negatively impacting the ecosystem and non-renewable resource consumption. Algeria confronts the monumental challenge of effectively choosing how to nourish everyone on a more congested globe. However, food loss is a significant issue that worsens as Algerians' population expands and food consumption increases. In Algeria, food production and processing of food items, which include fruits, vegetables, and cereals, generate a considerable amount of by-products, with no commercial exploitation and a negative environmental impact, generating enormous socioeconomic problems. These by-products are essential sources of products with high levels of added value that can be applied in different sectors. They have no studies to measure the scope of food loss in the Algerian food industry. In this background, our research aims to quantify the loss in the Algerian food industry generated by the transformation of various agricultural products, directly affecting the economy and food availability for the population. The research utilizes a mixed methods approach, including coefficients, production statistics transformed, and data analysis; the findings reveal that a significant portion of fruits and vegetables are lost in the Algerian food industry, suggesting that minimizing food loss can help companies minimize costs and mitigate the adverse environmental effects of food production. Finally, the study proposes practical options to minimize food loss to create a long-term food system in Algeria.

Exploration of the Linkages between Lignin and Carbohydrates in Kraft Pulp from Wheat Straw Using a 13C/2H Isotopic Tracer

To further our understanding of the change in association between lignin and carbohydrates after kraft pulping, isotope-labeled kraft pulp (KP) was prepared using 13C and D double-isotope-labeled wheat straw, and it was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis and ionic liquid treatment to explore the linkages between lignin and carbohydrate complexes in wheat straw. Isotope abundance determination showed that 13C and D abundances in the experimental groups were substantially higher than those in the control group, indicating that the injected exogenous coniferin-[α-13C], coniferin-[γ-13C], and d-glucose-[6-D2] were effectively absorbed and metabolized during wheat internode growth. Solid-state CP/MAS 13C-NMR spectroscopy showed that lignin was mainly linked to polysaccharides via acetal, benzyl ether, and benzyl ester bonds. Kraft pulp (KP) from the labeled wheat straw was degraded by cellulase. The obtained residue was fractionated using the ionic liquid DMSO/TBAH to separate the cellulose-lignin complex (KP-CLC) and xylan-lignin complex (KP-XLC). X-ray diffractometer determination showed that the KP-CLC regenerated cellulose type II from type I after the ionic liquid conversion. The 13C-NMR spectrum of Ac-En-KP-CLC showed that the cellulose-lignin complex structure was chemically bonded between the lignin and cellulose through acetal and benzyl ether bonds. The 13C-NMR spectrum of En-KP-XLC showed a lignin-hemicellulose complex structure, wherein lignin and xylan were chemically bonded by benzyl ether and acetal bonds. These results indicate that the cross-linking between lignin and carbohydrates exists in lignocellulosic fibers even after kraft pulping.