Closing the Loop on Perishables: Transforming Horticultural Post Harvest Waste into Sustainable Future Foods

Abstract

The Horticultural sector is a major challenge confronting the world by an estimated 18-55% of fruits and vegetable loss that occurs yearly leading to a nutritional loss of just less than USD 1 trillion as the economic burden. This article summarizes the paradigm shift of the traditional waste disposal model to a circular economy paradigm by upcycling post harvest side streams, including peels, seeds, and ugly produce, into high value future foods. We analysed green valorization technologies such as solar-assisted desiccation, refractance window drying, and ultrasound-assisted extraction that can recover bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and dietary fibers without leaving any toxic residues. Additionally, this article discusses the most important food safety issues, namely, concentration effect of pesticides and heavy metals caused by processing and suggests the development of horticultural safety levels. Combining techno economic analysis with consumer psychology, understanding this review identifies a prospect of bridging global nutrient shortages with the help of upcycled ingredients. Finally, the implementation of traceability 4.0 with blockchain and IoT to have a transparent supply chain and consumer confidence. This comprehensive solution will turn waste in horticulture into a sustainable resource that will be a part of a robust and circular global food system.