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Biofuels from food processing wastes

Author:
Zhang, Zhanying, O’Hara, Ian M, Mundree, Sagadevan, Gao, Baoyu, Ball, Andrew S, Zhu, Nanwen, Bai, Zhihui, Jin, Bo
Source:
Current opinion in biotechnology 2016 v.38 pp. 97-105
ISSN:
0958-1669
Subject:
biochemical pathways, bioengineering, biofuels, energy, food industry, food processing wastes, food recovery, fossil fuels, fuel production, organic wastes
Abstract:
Food processing industry generates substantial high organic wastes along with high energy uses. The recovery of food processing wastes as renewable energy sources represents a sustainable option for the substitution of fossil energy, contributing to the transition of food sector towards a low-carbon economy. This article reviews the latest research progress on biofuel production using food processing wastes. While extensive work on laboratory and pilot-scale biosystems for energy production has been reported, this work presents a review of advances in metabolic pathways, key technical issues and bioengineering outcomes in biofuel production from food processing wastes. Research challenges and further prospects associated with the knowledge advances and technology development of biofuel production are discussed.