Sustainability in food-waste reduction biotechnology: a critical review

Exploring the potential of Hermetia illucens larvae extracts: A promising approach for dermocosmetic formulations

Globally, the yearly disposal of 1.3 billion tonnes of food raises environmental and public health concerns. Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae present a sustainable solution, converting organic waste into nutrient-rich biomass. The extracted oil from BSF larvae, rich in fatty acids (FA), offers an eco-friendly alternative for the cosmetic industry. In this study, larvae sourced from a Portuguese company were fed olive pomace, a by-product of olive oil production. The lipidic sample extracted revealed a composition high in oleic acid, valuable for cosmetics. Investigating the biological activity of lipid extractions from larvae fed with olive pomace is a novel approach. Notably, the n-hexane ultrasound-assisted extraction method demonstrated potent antioxidant properties, and some extracts displayed antimicrobial activity. Five non-cytotoxic extracts; three with no relevant activity (IC50 from 236 to >400 μg/mL). These findings highlight BSF larvae as an environmentally friendly source of fatty acids, offering promising alternatives for diverse applications.

Plate Food Waste in Food Services: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Food waste is considered to be a social, environmental, administrative, and economic problem. Given the large-scale production and distribution of food, food waste in food services has been widely discussed by experts, professors, and scientists in the field. This systematic review aimed to understand which food service has the highest percentage of plate food waste. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted until January 2024 in ten electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, IBECS, BINACIS, BDENF, CUMED, BDNPAR, ARGMSAL, Cochrane Library, Sustainable Development Goals, and the gray literature. The protocol was previously registered with PROSPERO under the code CRD42024501971. Studies that have assessed plate food waste in food services were included. There were no restrictions on language, publication location, or date. The risk of bias analysis was carried out using the JBI instrument. A proportion meta-analysis was carried out using R software (version 4.2.1). This systematic review with meta-analysis showed that the type of distribution and the food service are the factors that have the greatest impact on the percentage and per capita of plate food waste. In the face of increased waste, interventions should be targeted by type and distribution system, diners, and meals in order to lessen the impact of these factors.

Characteristics of Biogas Production and Synergistic Effect of Primary Sludge and Food Waste Co-Digestion

Co-digestion implementation in wastewater treatment plants enhances biogas yield, so this research investigated the optimal ratio of biodegradable waste and sewage sludge. The increase in biogas production was investigated through batch tests using basic BMP equipment, while synergistic effects were evaluated by chemical oxygen demand (COD) balance. Analyses were performed in four volume basis ratios (3/1, 1/1, 1/3, 1/0) of primary sludge and food waste with added low food waste: 3.375%, 4.675%, and 5.35%, respectively. The best proportion was found to be 1/3 with the maximum biogas production (618.7 mL/g VS added) and the organic removal of 52.8% COD elimination. The highest enhancement rate was observed among co-digs 3/1 and 1/1 (105.72 mL/g VS). A positive correlation between biogas yield and COD removal is noticed while microbial flux required an optimal pH, value of 8 significantly decreased daily production rate. COD reductions further supported the synergistic impact; specifically, an additional 7.1%, 12.8%, and 17% of COD were converted into biogas during the co-digestions 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Three mathematical models were applied to estimate the kinetic parameters and check the accuracy of the experiment. The first-order model with a hydrolysis rate of 0.23-0.27 indicated rapidly biodegradable co-/substrates, modified Gompertz confirmed immediate commencement of co-digs through zero lag phase, while the Cone model had the best fit of over 99% for all trials. Finally, the study points out that the COD method based on linear dependence can be used for developing relatively accurate model for biogas potential estimation in anaerobic digestors.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12155-023-10620-8.