Food waste and its valorization into value-added products (case-study of the international experience of Asian countries)

With the changing lifestyle and rapid urbanization of the world’s population, the amount of food waste from various industrial, agricultural and household sources is increasing. Food waste is rich in organic substances, so traditional approaches to its disposal in municipal solid waste landfills and incineration can lead to serious consequences for the environment and human health. The use of biological methods for the treatment of such waste offers a sustainable way to valorize them. Being rich in nutrients, food waste can serve as a substrate for the growth of microorganisms and the subsequent production of various value-added products. The article provides an overview of international research in the agricultural sector of India and China on the valorization of fermentation-based waste for the production of various value-added bioproducts. It should be noted that these countries were not chosen by chance, they are the leading countries in Southeast Asia in the field of recycling organic compounds with benefits for the economy and the environment. To achieve this goal, we have used a review and analytical method, which makes it possible to visually illustrate how, based on the use of valorization, food waste can be advantageously used as raw materials or resources for the production of new products, including biofuels, electricity, biosurfactants, etc. As part of the ongoing work, data on case studies of the agricultural sector in India and China on successful repurposing of food waste for the production of new products is being further summarized.