Applied microbiology and chemical engineering in full solidliquid recovery of food waste

Abstract

Food waste (FW) has been a major challenge globally in the environment, economy and society. It is estimated that about 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to FW. As FW exhibits characteristics of high organic matter content (mainly proteins, fats and organic acids), high moisture content and low calorific value, aerobic composting is more suitable than conventional treatments of solid waste (e.g. incineration and landfill) for disposing of FW while recovering renewable energy from it in the form of fertiliser. In contrast, the struvite technology allows for the recovery of nitrogen (N) resources from the dewatering liquor. Therefore, this report investigates the recovery pathways and effectiveness of resource recycling in solid-liquid FW based on aerobic composting and struvite crystallisation. The main findings suggest that aerobic composting is an effective pathway for the recycling of FW while struvite crystallisation could recycle N resources from dewatering liquor of FW.