Transforming Plant-Based Waste into Valuable Products Using Food Industry 4.0 Technologies: A Literature Review

Overview

The global food system feels pressure from many sides. Pandemics, climate change, population growth, and urbanization add strain. These challenges make food security a chief issue. Food loss and waste rise in each step of the supply chain. Plant-based food production gives us nutrient-rich by-products. Yet, these by-products often stay unused. Food Industry 4.0—a mix of modern digital tools—helps turn waste into new value.

Key Highlights

• Nutrient-Rich Plant-Based By-Products
  Plant food production makes by-products that are rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds. Such compounds also bring health gains.

• Food Industry 4.0 Technologies
  Tools like artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, robotics, smart sensors, 3D printing, and digital twins work to cut waste. They also help change by-products into valuable items.

• Sustainability Impact
  Using these tools cuts down waste. They lower greenhouse gases and boost how we use our resources.

Industrial Innovation for Waste Valorization

New studies show that Food Industry 4.0 tools help make operations better. They work to link ideas closely and keep word connections local. This method makes processing easier to grasp. For example:

• AI sets the best process settings.
• IoT devices check real-time production facts.
• Blockchain keeps records clear and safe.

Through these links, companies gain more from plant waste. They get useful compounds quickly and simply. Then, waste turns into high-value resources.

Environmental and Economic Benefits

• Environmental
  Less waste means fewer greenhouse gases. This cut helps the earth and uses fewer extra resources.

• Economic
  Changing waste into marketable products gives money a new path. This idea also builds a circular food economy that reuses what we have.

Conclusion

Food Industry 4.0 shows a new way to handle plant-based waste. It uses clear digital tools and smart automation. Producers can raise food safety, resource use, and overall sustainability. This change helps the globe fight food issues. At the same time, it makes food systems smarter and more circular.

Reference:
Aït-Kaddour, A., Hassoun, A., Tarchi, I., et al. (2024). Transforming plant-based waste and by-products into valuable products using various “Food Industry 4.0” enabling technologies: A literature review. Science of The Total Environment, 955, 176872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176872

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