Chapter 9 - Valorization of food and agro-industrial wastes—synthesis and purification

The valorization of food and agroindustrial wastes is a viable path for sustainable resource use in recovering valuable resources and managing food and agroindustrial waste. Over the current global scenario, sources of waste are being prevalently added to the environment through multiple sources. The detrimental impact of all these sources is affecting the environment and associated biotas in general. So, this review on the prospects and scope of valorization of food and agroindustrial waste through synthesis and purification will provide in-depth insights into various mediums and fields that can be adopted for better mitigation measures. The better role of microbes as a means for waste management and their applications in the valorization of food and agroindustrial waste has been valued in this review. Prospects of the utilization of microbes in the valorization of food waste have been addressed for exploiting this waste in the production of biofuel, biogas, and other associated sectors. Moreover, the utilization of microbes in the valorization of agroindustrial waste has been considered in terms of the biosynthesis of value-added compounds, biosurfactant production, polyhydroxyalkanoate production, and other relevant sectors. Valorization of food and agroindustrial waste can only be achieved through combining multiple-level approaches, in combination with various scientific methods and proper management regimes to be applied and adopted at local, regional, and global scales.