Preface

One of the biggest challenges facing the food industry and society is the reduction of food waste. Annually, all over the world, millions of tons of agro-food waste are produced, and their efficient management and valorization represents one of the main objectives of EU actions towards sustainable development.

This book compiles information on the possibilities of the recovery of valuable compounds from food waste and their valorization in different food and nonfood applications, as well as new preservation methods for optimizing food waste reduction. The book is divided into the following sections:

Section 1—Food Waste and Food Preservation Overview, which includes Chapter 1, gives a brief overview of the main extraction techniques used for the recovery of bioactive compounds from food waste and the conventional and modern preservation methods used for minimizing food waste.

Section 2—Food Preservation includes Chapters 2–4. The first two chapters focus on two modern preservation techniques, namely instant controlled pressure drop technology and microwave technology. The last chapter of this section discusses the efficacy of plant antimicrobials in assuring an enhanced shelf-life and the safety of food products.

Section 3—Exploitation of Food Waste, which includes four chapters, describes various ways in which food waste can be used to produce different value-added products with manifold applications.

The authors involved in writing these chapters are recognized professionals with solid expertise in their working field. All discussed topics are of major interest for researchers, scientists, and university students as well as experts from the private sector interested in developing innovative and sustainable products.

**II**

**Chapter 7 135**

**Chapter 8 155** Cellulosic Fibers from Lignocellulosic Biomass for Papermaking Applications

Comparative Assessment of Shrimp Hydrolyzates as Alternative Organic

*by Faten Mannai, Hanedi Elhleli, Ramzi Khiari and Younes Moussaoui*

*by John Rojas, Julian Qunitero, Yhors Ciro, Alfredo Moreno, Javier Silva-Agredo* 

Fertilizers for Legumes

*and Ricardo A. Torres-Palma*

We would like to acknowledge all the authors and the co-editors for their contributions to this book. Also, we are grateful to the Author Service Managers, Ms. Sara Bacvarova and Ms. Sandra Maljavac, for their great support and assistance throughout the publication process of this book.

> **Sonia A. Socaci** Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania

#### **Anca C. Fărcaş** University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania

#### **Thierry Aussenac and Jean-Claude Laguerre**

UniLaSalle Polytechnic Institute, France

**1**

Section 1

Food Waste and Food

Preservation Overview

Section 1
