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Sustainability and Circular Economy of Food Wastes: Waste Reduction Strategies, Higher Recycling Methods, and Improved Valorization

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Abstract

In this review, the issue of food recycling was comprehensively studied from the perspective of recent research. Firstly, the concept of circular economy and its application in reducing waste production and the strategies for waste reduction (waste prevention) were discussed. The concept suggests that we can produce less waste from the beginning to reduce costs for recycling, instead of generating much waste for recycling through specific approaches. Secondly, the results of several investigations on the recycling of various food wastes, which have been less considered important parts of waste management, such as university waste, agricultural waste, food industry waste, and spent coffee ground (SCG) waste, were discussed in detail. Finally, various methods for recycling and sustaining food wastes (improving the rates of recycling) and their application in aforementioned sections were comprehensively presented.

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Funding

This study received financial support from the Amir Kabir University of Technology (AUT), Tehran, Iran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Bigdeloo & Elaheh Kowsari

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

    Targol Teymourian

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Center for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119260, Singapore

    Seeram Ramakrishna

  4. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

    Ali Ehsani

Authors
  1. Mohammad Bigdeloo
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  2. Targol Teymourian
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  3. Elaheh Kowsari
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  4. Seeram Ramakrishna
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  5. Ali Ehsani
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Elaheh Kowsari or Seeram Ramakrishna.

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Bigdeloo, M., Teymourian, T., Kowsari, E. et al. Sustainability and Circular Economy of Food Wastes: Waste Reduction Strategies, Higher Recycling Methods, and Improved Valorization. Mater Circ Econ 3, 3 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-021-00017-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-021-00017-3

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