Food waste from restaurant sector - Characterization for biorefinery approach

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biotechnology
• Waste Management

Background:

• Food waste (FW) presents a significant environmental challenge.
• Local catering services generate substantial amounts of FW with varying compositions.
• Understanding FW composition is crucial for developing sustainable valorization strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the detailed chemical composition of food waste from local catering services.
• To assess the potential for biorefinery development based on FW components.
• To establish a methodology for evaluating FW variability and guiding valorization.

Main Methods:

• Chemical characterization of FW samples to determine moisture, lipid, starch, protein, and metal content.
• Application of statistical tests and principal component analysis (PCA) to identify composition variations.
• Correlation of compositional data with FW typology and catering service origin.

Main Results:

• FW samples contained 27-47% organic material by weight.
• Key organic components on a dry basis included lipids (25.7-33.2%), starch (16.2-29.4%), and proteins (23.5-18.3%).
• A distinct metal profile was identified, with sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg) as primary elements, alongside trace metals like zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe).

Conclusions:

• The study presents an innovative methodology combining chemical analysis and statistical approaches for FW evaluation.
• This systematic approach effectively identifies compositional variations and links them to FW sources.
• The findings provide a valuable decision-making tool for selecting optimal FW processing and valorization pathways, supporting biorefinery development.