The hidden value of agri-food by-products

02 November 2023

A consortium of EU-funded projects is studying new methods to give snack foods a second life. A FoodTank article reports that many supermarket products leave behind production residues: the by-products, which are secondary products generated during food processing and manufacturing.

The by-products are originated during processing and manufacturing of food and are often waste products. Nevertheless, they can turn into valuable products since they can be very rich in other properties, as it is the case for potato peels. For instance, skincare and makeup products are rich in polyphenols, which are phenols found in potato peel. The same goes for brewer’s spent grain, wich is normally used as animal feed. Yet, it harbors a high content of proteins and fibers, which might be used as new ingredients for food products such as pasta and bread.

Investing in advanced technologies is fundamental to achieve circular practices in the agri-food industry and reduce food waste. Some technologies are already useful and other are still in progress.