From Waste to Wellness: Sustainable Food Technologies for Next Generation Nutraceuticals and Sustainable Diets

The field of nutrition and sustainable food systems is increasingly focused on reducing waste and maximizing resource use to address global challenges related to food security, environmental degradation, and public health. Despite significant advances in food production, a large proportion of agricultural and food processing byproducts, such as bran, pomace, peels, and whey, remain underutilized, often relegated to low-value applications or discarded altogether. This not only contributes to environmental burdens but also represents a missed opportunity to improve dietary quality and resource efficiency. While emerging research highlights the nutritional richness of these byproducts and their potential contribution to sustainable diets, major gaps exist regarding their safe and effective integration into mainstream food systems as foods, food ingredients, and food-based functional products (rather than supplements alone). Ongoing debates concern the sensory acceptance, health effects, regulatory frameworks, and economic implications of valorising agri-byproducts for human consumption.Recent studies have demonstrated that agri-byproducts can provide valuable nutrients such as dietary fibre, quality protein, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds. Novel processing technologies and product development initiatives have begun to incorporate these byproducts into staple foods, snacks, and functional ingredients, with promising results for both nutrition and sustainability outcomes. Life cycle assessments and dietary modelling further support the notion that valorised byproducts can meaningfully reduce food waste and lighten the ecological footprint of diets. However, challenges remain in terms of consumer acceptance, standardized safety evaluations, regulatory alignment, and equitable access, particularly in low- and middle-income contexts. An integrative, multidisciplinary approach is necessary to fully realize the promise of upcycled, byproduct-based foods within healthy and sustainable dietary patterns and to clarify when “nutraceutical” or “functional” positioning is scientifically substantiated, safe, and appropriately regulated.This Research Topic aims to advance the scientific and practical understanding of valorising agri-byproducts for the creation of sustainable, nutritious foods. Key objectives are to assess the nutritional, functional, and health attributes of byproduct-derived ingredients; evaluate their environmental and economic impacts; explore consumer perceptions and behaviours; and analyse the policy and regulatory landscapes that shape their uptake. By bridging research from nutrition, food science, public health, sustainability, and economics, this topic seeks to inform robust strategies for integrating byproduct Valorisation into food systems that promote both planetary and human health. We seek to answer questions about safety, efficacy, scalability, acceptance, and equity regarding agri-byproduct use in food innovation and the responsible translation of bioactive-rich side streams into food-based functional applications.The scope of this Research Topic encompasses studies investigating the transformation of agri-food side streams into safe, acceptable, and nutritionally valuable foods, with a focus on their role in supporting sustainable dietary patterns. While the main emphasis is on human food applications, including food ingredients and food-based functional products, contributions addressing the broader implications for food systems, circular economy, and food security are also welcomed. Submissions centred on nutraceutical-style ingredients are welcome where they are clearly linked to agri-byproduct valorisation and address safety, regulatory considerations, and pathways for integration into foods and diets.To gather further insights in the valorisation of agri-byproducts for sustainable nutrition, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Comprehensive nutritional characterization and health-relevant properties of agri-byproductso Innovative processing technologies and development of byproduct-enriched foodso Consumer acceptance, sensory quality, labelling, and marketing of upcycled food productso Environmental assessment and life cycle analysis of byproduct valorisation strategieso Policy, regulatory, economic, and equity dimensions in integrating byproduct-based foods into sustainable dietso Case studies and implementation roadmaps highlighting successes and challenges in different regionso Frameworks for aligning byproduct utilization with food waste reduction and circular food system goals Topic editors: Soumi Chakraborty, Claudia Perez-Pirotto, Nilushni Sivapragasam Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77010/from-waste-to-wellness-sustainable-food-technologies-for-next-generation-nutraceuticals-and-sustainable-diets