One billion tonnes of food wasted is generated around the world every year. This book seeks to address and mitigate this urgent problem by focusing on food valorisation through conversion to various value-added products. Contributions from a wide range of international experts draw attention to valuable, realistic, and exciting opportunities for science, business, and society to provide essential and substantial environmental benefits. This timely volume comprises 18 chapters dealing with different aspects of food waste treatment and management in different parts of the world. These chapters explore the fundamentals, trends, and future opportunities for food waste composting and anaerobic digestion, as well as how food waste can be converted to single-cell protein, animal feeds, and fertiliser. This book also addresses various value-added products that can be generated. These include products such as chemicals, synthetic alternatives, nanocellulose, construction materials, and biodegradable fibres.

"Food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition affect all counties worldwide; one in nine people suffers from starvation and malnourishment. At the same time, one billion tonnes of food (17%) is wasted yearly, and associated environmental problems have become emerging global issues. There is an urgency to treat food waste as a resource. This timely volume comprises eighteen chapters dealing with different aspects of food waste treatment and management in different parts of the world (1). Food waste should be used for urban agriculture and landscaping (2). It is feasible to employ biochemical and thermochemical processes in treating and recovering food waste (3). A case study demonstrated such feasibility in Shenzhen, China's most developed city (4). The fundamentals, trends, and future opportunities for food waste composting and anaerobic digestion are explored (5, 6, 7). Food waste can be converted to single-cell protein (8), animal feeds (9), and fertilizer (via vermicomposting and anaerobic digestion) (10, 11). Various value-added products can be generated: chemicals, synthetic alternatives, nanocellulose, construction materials, and biodegradable fibres (12-16). Chinese herbal residues and brewery waste are examples of very specific wastes that could be valorised into value-added products (17, 18). Fundamental and wide-ranging attention is required towards sustainable food production and consumption through the entire global food supply chain. In the best-case scenario for changed management and behaviours, substantial amounts of surplus food and food waste will remain inevitable. This provides ample justification for this book on food valorisation through conversion to various value-added products. Contributions from a wide range of international experts draw attention to valuable, realistic, and exciting opportunities for science, business, and society that will also provide essential and substantial environmental benefits"--

This book analyses the complexities of the rhizosphere ecosystem and discusses the role of insect pheromones in shaping soil health and vermicompost production. It details the mechanisms of insect pheromone communication, their impact on soil microbial communities, and their potential applications in sustainable agriculture and vermicompost production. The subject matter in this book also discusses: The Underground Symphony Pheromones in Pest Control The Sentient Soil Hypothesis Bio-Engineered Insect Allies The Global Impact of Rhizosphere Revolution Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Bhutan)

Drying and Valorisation of Food Processing Waste is a comprehensive guide that delves into the crucial role of advanced drying technologies in mitigating the issue of food waste. This book evaluates the current research, technologies, and methodologies in food waste processing and valorisation, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that exist in this field. This book provides a systematic classification of various types of food waste and how to choose the most appropriate drying technology based on waste characteristics. It also covers the effects of drying technologies on physical and chemical properties, as well as valuable compounds. In addition, it evaluates the impact of drying on different valorisation routes and provides real-life industrial case studies to illustrate the practical applications of the concepts discussed. It is an invaluable resource for professionals, researchers, and academics who are looking to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of drying on food waste reduction and valorisation. This book is aimed at chemical, food, and environmental engineers as well as researchers and academics in these fields. It provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in food waste processing and valorisation and is an essential reference for professionals seeking to advance their knowledge in this field. Additionally, this book's practical approach and case studies make it an ideal resource for students and researchers who are looking to gain hands-on experience in food waste reduction and valorisation.

The first book of its kind, the Life Cycle Assessment Handbook: A Guide for Environmentally Sustainable Products will become an invaluable resource for environmentally progressive manufacturers and suppliers, product and process designers, executives and managers, and government officials who want to learn about this essential component of environmental sustainability. As the last several decades have seen a dramatic rise in the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in decision making, the interest in the life cycle concept as an environmental management and sustainability tool continues to grow. The LCA Handbook offers a look at the role that life cycle information, in the hands of companies, governments, and consumers, may have in improving the environmental performance of products and technologies. It concisely and clearly presents the various aspects of LCA in order to help the reader better understand the subject. The content of the book was designed with a certain flow in mind. After a high-level overview to describe current views and state-of-the-practice of LCA, it presents chapters that address specific LCA methodological issues including creating life cycle inventory, life cycle impact assessment, and capturing eco-systems services. These are followed by example applications of LCA in the agri-food industry; sustainable supply chain management; solid waste management; mining and mineral extraction; forest products; buildings; product innovation; and sustainable chemistry and engineering. The international success of the sustainability paradigm needs the participation of many stakeholders, including citizens, corporations, academia, and NGOs. The handbook links LCA and responsible decision making and how the life cycle concept is a critical element in environmental sustainability. It covers issues such as building capacity in developing countries and emerging economies so that they are more capable of harnessing the potential in LCA for sustainable development. Governments play a very important role with the leverage they have through procurement, regulation, international treaties, tax incentives, public outreach, and other policy tools. This compilation points to the clear trend for incorporating life cycle information into the design and development processes for products and policies, just as quality and safety concerns are now addressed throughout product design and development.

From Waste to Value investigates how streams of organic waste and residues can be transformed into valuable products, to foster a transition towards a sustainable and circular bioeconomy. The studies are carried out within a cross-disciplinary framework, drawing on a diverse set of theoretical approaches and defining different valorisation pathways. Organic waste streams from households and industry are becoming a valuable resource in today’s economies. Substances that have long represented a cost to companies and a burden for society are now becoming an asset. Waste products, such as leftover food, forest residues and animal carcasses, can be turned into valuable products such as biomaterials, biochemicals and biopharmaceuticals. Exploiting these waste resources is challenging, however. It requires that companies develop new technologies and that public authorities introduce new regulation and governance models. This book helps policy-makers govern and regulate bio-based industries, and helps industry actors to identify and exploit new opportunities in the circular bioeconomy. Moreover, it provides important insights for all students and scholars concerned with renewable energy, sustainable development and climate change.

This open access book provides a comprehensive examination of the European Landing Obligation policy from many relevant perspectives. It includes evaluations of its impacts at economical, socio-cultural, ecological and institutional levels. It also discusses the feasibility and benefits of several potential mitigation strategies. The book was timely published, exactly at the time where the Landing Obligation was planned to be fully implemented. This book is of significant interest to all stakeholders involved, but also to the general public of Europe and to other jurisdictions throughout the world that are also searching for ways to deal with by-catch and discard issues.