https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/special_issues/Y8J475823I
The Circular Economy is key to designing recovery plans based on the rational exploitation of natural resources since the growing population, increased food demand, inefficient food distribution and resource use, environmental impacts, and high rates of food waste are driving factors for the transition towards more sustainable practices at all stages of the food systems. Circular Economy focuses on implementing production management systems that convert waste into sustainable resources. Some strategies based on the Circular Economy are being implemented worldwide (e.g., The European Green Deal, Chinese Ecological Civilization, and Green New Deal-South Korea) in response to the need for post-pandemic economic growth, aiming at the sustainable development of productive processes linked to the agro-food sector. The loop of nutrients and bioactive compounds (e.g., dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, pigments, phenolic compounds, vitamins, and essential oils) offers innovative and sustainable solutions for recovering various value-added components from food processing by-products with reported health-related properties and application opportunities in several industry sectors. This Special Issue is part of the actions of the Project ?Ibero-American Innovation Network for the Sustainability of the Plant Food Value Chain? ? Ibero Circular (CYTED Network 323RT0142).
