An increased demand for waste upcycling has prompted the food industry to become more efficient in its handling of waste. Efficient utilization of food waste is of concern to consumers, environmentalists, and policy makers. In the past, food waste has been used for the production of bio-gas and bio-fuels, fertilizers and animal feed. Biobased products from food sector waste: Bioplastics, biocomposites, and biocascading proposes an innovative use of food waste—as filler in a bioplastic matrix.

The upcycling of food industry waste to produce new composites has a number of beneficial features, including (i) avoiding the cost of waste disposal; (ii) reducing bio-based composites price; (iii) avoiding using edible resources as a starting material for bio-based composites (to eliminate competition between biomass use for food, feed, and material use); (iv) producing a non-food bio-based output different from existing outputs (bio-fuels or bio-energy). The production of value-added items supports the development of a circular and sustainable economy in a thriving bio-based sector via the emergence of food value chains.

The authors explore the safety of bio-based products. Using an evidence-based approach, they detail the volatile profile of biobased products and underline the absence of priority air pollutants released by fossil plastics, which pose a significant public health threat. The volume also delves into socioeconomic considerations and environmental concerns related to the upcycling of food by-products. Finally, the authors address how advances in digital technology can make food waste upcycling a negative-cost process.