Biopolymers from Agri-Food Wastes: Prospects and Sustainability Challenges
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 8707
Special Issue Editor
Interests: sustainable food production; food quality and safety; food processing and preservation technology; nutraceuticals; food for health; novel food products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Finding sustainable practical solutions and potential applications for agri-food wastes is a much-desired focus of research in the present decade. Applying novel concepts and sustainable strategies for reduction of agri-food wastes coupled with maximal utilization for producing value-added compounds/products can not only support the economy, but also contribute towards reducing the stress on the environment. Understanding the basics of minimizing loss and wastage along the entire agri-food supply chain can benefit producers, consumers and dependent industries. However, designing appropriate sustainable value-added chains and business models remains a prerequisite to attain much-desired success.
In modern agri-food production systems, several sustainability challenges need to be overcome. Traditionally, agri-food wastes (i.e., biomass) have been exploited for producing biofuels, chemicals, livestock feed and much more. In the present-day global scenario, great importance is placed on exploring the efficacy of these wastes for producing value-added products such as natural biopolymers with potential applications. Biopolymers are polymeric materials generally synthesized by cells in a living entity. Being natural, they are considered to be non-toxic, bio-compatible, easily biodegradable recyclable materials with distinctive features and unique properties. Appropriate modifications of agri-food industrial wastes and residues (as renewable sources) can open avenues for producing novel biopolymers of interest. Nevertheless, ever-increasing demand for natural biopolymers remains high owing to their wide practical usage in food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries.
In this Special Issue, we invite original research articles, short communications and reviews that focus mainly on recognising present gaps, overcoming sustainability challenges and identifying future opportunities to produce biopolymers from agri-food wastes.
Prof. Dr. Rajeev Bhat
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- Sustainable production
- Wastes (plant and animal)
- Residues
- Valorization strategies
- Green techniques
- Cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, lignin, starch
- Collagen, casein
- Recovery
- Polymers
- Biopolymer blends and composites
- Food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries
- Circular economy
- Carbon footprint
- Environmental impacts and safety
- Regulatory and legislative issues
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