Dear Colleagues,

The exponential growth rate of the global population poses a threat to finite resources and also increases the amount of waste generated. Food waste and losses mobilize a remarkable number of natural resources and have been recognized as a global issue due to their environmental, economic, and social impacts. The global scale of their consequences requires a political response. It is estimated that about 1.3 billion tons of foods are lost or wasted globally, representing approximately one-third of the food produced for human consumption. Food wastes consume around 25% of all water used by agriculture each year and generate around 8% of annual global greenhouse gases. The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems identified that 20% of the food produced in the European Union is wasted with a cost of EUR 143 billion annually, including wasted resources and environmental impacts.

For that, the growing need for energy and materials to supply the demands of a fast-growing and resource-intensive population is forcing a shift from a linear economy to a circular economy. The EU has implemented an action plan for implementing circular economy in order to reduce the food losses along production and supply chains by 2030. Circular economy is redefining the framework conditions for the waste management of food waste (and for other types of waste), creating new business opportunities. With circular economy, we can build a food system that ensures our food never creates waste. Moreover, food waste can be used to produce various biomaterials, bioenergy, as well as a source of high-value products with several applications in different sectors.

Dr. Luís Manuel Lopes Rodrigues da Silva
Dr. Paula Coutinho
Guest Editors

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• circular economy
• food loss
• food waste
• by-products
• sustainability
• bioactive compounds
• health promoters
• high-value products
• environmental impacts