Case study 1: fruit and vegetable waste valorization: world scenario

Every year, one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted worldwide, representing about 1.3 billion tons per year, worth approximately $1 trillion. The incorrect food waste management, such as disposal in landfills, leads to several issues in environment and economic sectors. At the food industry, fruit and vegetable category represents high amounts of waste because is highly perishable; however, these by-products represent a rich source of bioactive compounds with high health benefits, which can be extracted through sustainable methodologies for future industrial applications. Therefore, the management of fruit by-products is challenged to move from a linear to a circular economy. Thus, the main objective of this chapter is to present an integrative approach through upcycling of orange, mango, and melon waste into the development of new functional high-value food ingredients within the circular economy framework.