Food Waste Protein Hydrolysates

This chapter provides an in-depth exploration of the potential to recover valuable protein from food waste, addressing a significant challenge in the global food system. It underscores the critical need to repurpose food waste, highlighting the importance of protein recovery and the pivotal role of protein hydrolysates in promoting sustainability. The discussion reviews diverse sources of protein from food waste, including agricultural by-products from the oilseed, cereal, and brewery industries, as well as livestock by-products from the dairy and meat industries, and marine by-products. It delves into the hydrolysis of proteins, comparing conventional methods like enzymatic hydrolysis and microbial fermentation with novel techniques such as ultrasound-assisted extraction, high-pressure processing, pulse-electric field, subcritical fluid, and microwave-assisted hydrolysis. The chapter also explores the potential applications of these protein hydrolysates across various sectors, from food and animal feed to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The concluding section underscores the challenges faced in scaling these technologies and outlines future research directions to enhance the recovery and utilization of protein from food waste.