Protein-Rich By-Products: Production Statistics, Legislative Restrictions, and Management Options

Congruent to a rapidly growing population is the generation of horticultural and agricultural by-products and waste. The modern-day food cycle includes agricultural production, postharvest handling and storage, food processing and packaging, and distribution and retail, ending with consumption and waste disposal. Of these, agricultural production and postharvest handling and storage result in unintended losses and by-products whereas the other steps generally result in food waste. Approximately one-third of the worldwide food production is wasted each year. Although it is most desirable to prevent waste and by-product formation, followed by reuse or recycling, the formation of by-products and waste is inevitable, and management options must be innovative and also meet legislative requirements. However, management options are mostly a compromise between what is viewed acceptable based on legal requirements and local perceptions, and what is deemed technologically and financially feasible.