Metabolomics in a Circular Bioeconomy: A Case for Fruit/Vegetable Waste Material Residuals

Research is accelerating towards establishing a circular bioeconomy to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and drive sustainable development. Here, we applied untargeted metabolomics as an assessment tool for homogeneous food waste residuals, providing an assessment of their marketability in the circular bioeconomy. The circular bioeconomy involves the comprehensive conversion of biological resources into renewable biobased products, which contributes to climate action and environmental well-being. One strategy for embracing a circular bioeconomy is the discovery of vertical conversions of food and agricultural waste residues, transforming them into value-added commodities. This article applies an untargeted metabolomics approach to gain insights into the phytochemical profile of fruit and vegetable residual wastes (FVRs). Through this analysis, 472 known and 542 unknown compounds were identified, with their relative abundances determined. Among the most prevalent 50 annotated metabolites in FVRs, a significant proportion consisted of natural products or bioactive compounds (64–86%), functional foods (7–12%), fragrances (0–8%), pesticides (0–6%), and intriguingly, environmental contaminants (7–23%). Homogenous waste residuals resulting from fruit and vegetable processing emerge as a promising source of bioactive nutraceuticals, functional food derivatives, and biomaterials. This study proposes using untargeted metabolomics as a rapid method to evaluate extracts obtained from homogenous food waste residuals. This approach provides a pre-assessment of their potential market value within the context of the circular bioeconomy.<br/><br/>&lt;quillbot-extension-portal&gt;&lt;/quillbot-extension-portal&gt;