Valorization of Agro-Industrial Waste into Bioactive Compounds: Techno-Economic Considerations

Abstract

Agricultural waste (ACW) and agro-industrial waste (AIW) are been produced in big amounts worldwide. Approximately 147.2 million metric tonnes of fiber sources are found worldwide, and around 89 million tonnes of biomass (from the agricultural production, postharvest, and processing stages) are wasted annually. In Europe, the disposal of 1 tonne of solid waste or 1 m3 of effluent costs $28–60 dollars. Regarding some estimations, about 815 million people of the 7.3 billion people in the world were suffering from chronic undernourishment. This is one of the reasons why the AIW must be used in the most efficient way and be valorized through its healthy and functional potential. Valorization of AIW is currently focused on composting, livestock feeding, and other products with low-added value. Regarding that, this chapter is aimed to remark cases where the valorization is going forward, taking advantage from scientific studies to create new products with added value from AIW. The present chapter reviews different valorization strategies of AIW and the use of technologies to extract bioactive compounds and elaborate added value products with health benefits. Currently, the agro-industry is not only valorized by their productivity but also because of their relationship with the environment, which made them reduce the waste volume and avoid the waste dispose in landfills.