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

Overview

A review appears in Science of The Total Environment, Volume 955 (December 2024). This paper shows that plant-based food waste and by-products are rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds. They can be used better in food systems worldwide. The paper notes that Food Industry 4.0 uses digital tools and automation to transform waste into value. These technologies boost sustainability, food security, and resource efficiency.

Key Insights

Challenges in the Food System

• Climate change, pandemics, and rapid urban growth stress food supply.
• Much food is lost or wasted in every step of the supply chain.

Valorization of Plant-Based Waste

• Plant by-products hold key nutrients and health benefits.
• Proper extraction and processing turn these by-products into marketable goods.

Role of Food Industry 4.0 Technologies

• Technologies include:
  – Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  – Internet of Things (IoT)
  – Blockchain
  – Robotics
  – Smart Sensors
  – 3D Printing
  – Digital Twins
• These tools help in:
  – Sorting waste efficiently
  – Monitoring processing closely
  – Enhancing product traceability and safety
  – Improving operational efficiency and manufacturing flexibility
  – Cutting waste volumes and greenhouse gas emissions

Environmental and Economic Benefits

• Reducing plant-based food waste limits pollution and greenhouse gases.
• Valorization supports circular economy ideas and sustainable resource use.

Conclusion

The review sums up recent work that shows Food Industry 4.0 can change plant-based waste into useful products. With these innovations, food companies can raise sustainability, ensure quality and safety, and build a strong global food system.

Source: Aït-Kaddour et al., “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, Volume 955, 10 December 2024, 176872, DOI.

This research is open access under Creative Commons Licensing. It is free for stakeholders who want to use sustainable food production practices.

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