Transforming food waste into resources
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
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Project Description
Industrial food waste is usually disposed to landfills, which causes greenhouse gas emissions and pathogen formation. The nutritious food waste can be used as cheap raw material to produce value-added green products like enzymes and bioethanol. Enzymes can be used instead of toxic chemicals. Bioethanol can be used as fuel and decreases the carbon emissions when it is mixed with gasoline. These products are produced using food which causes food crisis. Food waste can be solution not problem.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
The food industry creates a high amount of food waste. Only in Turkey, at least 26 million of food waste is produced each year. Sometimes, this waste is sent for animal feed production. However, every food waste is not suitable for animal feed. Most of the time, it is disposed to landfills because it cannot be stored at the food processing facility due to pest formation. Disposed food waste causes serious environmental problems in multiple ways. It causes 8-10% of total GHGs emissions and decreases air quality. Also, it contaminates surface and underground water. Food waste is nutritious and suitable raw material to grow microorganisms. The solution for industrial food waste is producing value-added green products by using microorganisms. The project addresses significant environmental challenges. It aims to tackle food waste by using a new biotechnological process, which allows obtaining both enzymes and bioethanol from the same production batch. The new technological process designed has the potential to valorize and re-use food industry by-products avoiding food waste generation and reducing carbon emission. In this project, apple pomace from the fruit juice sector is used as raw material to produce enzymes and bioethanol at the same time in the same fermentation system to reduce production costs. Both bacteria and yeast are used together to increase yield. The pretreatment method applied to obtain fermentable sugar from apple pomace is also sustainable. Unlike the traditional methods, the project uses the produced enzyme cocktail instead of chemicals. The products are both green and renewable. They are necessary to achieve a sustainable future. Enzymes are used instead of toxic chemicals. Bioethanol is mixed with gasoline to decrease GHGs emissions of burning fuel. They are traditionally produced by using food itself and cause food crisis. Still in some regions, people suffer from hunger. Food should be protected and used only for consumption.
Key objectives for sustainability
Using food waste as raw material to obtain value-added products addresses multiple sustainable development goals. A high amount of carbon emissions is caused by food waste. When nutritious food waste is counted as waste, the loss both economically and environmentally is too much. The products of this project, enzymes, and bioethanol, are produced by using food itself. Using food to produce energy is one of the reasons for the food crisis. People still suffer from hunger and food is used to produce energy. However, we have different sources like food processing by-products which are inedible. When the food is used to produce renewable energy, it still causes GHGs emissions. On the other hand, using food waste can eliminate these problems and more sustainable products can be obtained. The other objective for this project is hydrolyzing lignocellulosic biomass. While producing sustainable products, the production method should be also sustainable. Nowadays, companies use acid or bases for pretreatment. In comparison, this project aims to obtain fermentable sugars in an eco-friendly way. Water pre-treatment and enzyme saccharification are applied respectively.
In addition, the produced amount of bioethanol is not enough in many countries. The fossil fuel dependence is still growing. When bioethanol is mixed with gasoline, it is proved that it decreases GHGs emissions. Food waste usage can increase the bioethanol production amount. The project aims to produce zero waste. Every output from the designed system will be transformed into a product. It is mentioned that enzymes and bioethanol will be the main products. Also, lignin and biomass will be valuable outputs. The project aims to produce its own electricity and heat by using wastewater to produce biogas. While this project aims for a sustainable production system, it also aims to clean the world, create a healthy environment and protect the biodiversity by protecting land.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The problem targeted in this project is caused by the food industry. Because of the structure of food waste, it causes a bad odor and contaminates the soil. The presence of food waste on soil is concluded with spoilage and pathogen formation. People who live close to that area can be affected seriously. It causes biodiversity loss. However, the food industry can shape the future by considering food waste as a valuable source. The project offers a solution to the food industry without transporting food waste. It is possible to integrate this innovative process into the end of food processing. Food waste can be joined to a circular economy with an additional production line. With this project, food waste will not be transported to any other places. It will not be burned or disposed to land. Sustainable cities can be achieved with sustainable industries. The cities and living beings will be protected from disposed and unmanaged waste.
Key objectives for inclusion
All living beings need equal living conditions. The air, water, and soil quality should be equal for everyone. However, it is not usually considered by certain industries. While our world is going through climate change and facing deadly consequences, climate equality becomes more important than before. People who live outside the cities are usually faced with waste pollution problems. They are forced to live with this unmanaged waste. Their environments are contaminated by industries. Their children are exposed to pathogens while playing outside. This project eliminates the disposal of waste of the food industry by managing and transforming it into a resource. People can live in a clean environment. Their health shouldn't be risked by industries because of unmanaged waste disposal.
In addition, this project provides clean and affordable energy to the cities which are willing to have renewable energy sources. Renewable energy is necessary to decrease carbon emissions. More renewable energy should be produced with the new technologies. Cities, industries, and communities should be able to reach more clean energy sources. While the demand for energy is increasing, more energy sources should be provided. In Europe, bioethanol is mixed with gasoline in 12%. The bioethanol amount can be increased. However, the produced amount is not enough, and increasing bioethanol production causes food crisis, arable land usage, and deforestation. This project provides more affordable and accessible bioethanol by eliminating the problems caused by industrial food waste.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
The main dimension this project focuses on is sustainability. Sustainable cities, industries, and communities are targeted to achieve. While focusing on sustainability by reducing the industrial food waste, the other dimensions are also addressed. All three dimensions are feeding themselves while solving industrial food waste problem. Carbon emissions are reduced. More affordable and clean energy is provided for everyone. An equally clean environment in terms of air, soil, and water quality is provided. The health problems due to food waste are reduced. Biodiversity is protected. Unmanaged food waste can be eliminated. As mentioned before, this project addresses multiple sustainable development goals. SDG2, SDG 3, SDG 6, SDG 7, SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 10, SDG 11, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 14, SDG 15 can be achieved by transforming food waste into a resource for all.
This project aims to increase the production scale. It aims to work with the food industry closely. The food industry may reach net zero with the partnership of this project. It may lead to taking action for other industries too.
