The Valorization of Agrifood Byproducts and Waste to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals: Current State and New Perspectives

Abstract

Sustainability is a major challenge for global food systems, particularly in the context of food loss and waste. Approximately one-third of food produced worldwide (1.3 billion tons annually) is lost or wasted, contributing to 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with a large share occurring during post-harvest handling and food processing. These stages generate by-products such as shells, skins, pulp, stems, and seeds, which can account for 30–50% of raw materials. Although often discarded, these residues are rich in valuable bioactive compounds, including phenolics, peptides, carotenoids, fibers, secondary metabolites, minerals, amino acids, and vitamins. This review emphasizes the valorization of agrifood by-products as a pathway toward sustainability and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It encompasses extraction methods, characterization, and potential uses of such active compounds in the food, pharmaceutical, packaging, and cosmetic sectors. Moreover, it examines the interaction between valuing agrifood by-products and key SDGs like eliminating hunger (SDG 2), ensuring good health and well-being (SDG 3), promoting affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), promoting economic growth and decent work (SDG 8), ensuring responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and tackling climate action (SDG 13). These approaches have high potential to improve food security and economic sustainability of the world’s food systems.