Enhancing the circular economy: valorization of process by-products into higher value antioxidant molecules

One of the main goal of 2030 Agenda is ensure sustainable production pattern, for this reason the research on circular economy is a very hot topic. Extracting different compounds from the accumulating process by-products and food wastes gives us new possibilities to utilize these extracts into food industry to make better foods. It is known that some of process wastes can confer better nutritional characteristics to the existing food including higher antioxidant property, higher protein or fiber content and high concentrations of minerals essential to the human health. In this scenario is inserted my study for this thesis, in which different antioxidant compounds were extract from various process by-products and food wastes. In particular, antioxidant properties from three corn variety fermented with specific fermenting bacteria strains in order to show the importance of fermentation process. Moreover, lettuce and tomato were analyzed in various growing conditions using different fertilizing methods using collagen, by-product of tanning process.