ABSTRACT
2Now a days, the population is growing more, and, with it, the challenge of feeding all habitants in an adequate way at the right time. The lack of food security is one of the main problems worldwide, especially in undeveloped countries, who do not have the opportunity to access, dispose, and use the nutrients of food that are necessary for life. One of the most important reasons for the lack of food security is the great waste of food that occurs in production, industry, and/or consumption. Food waste refers to any food or inedible part of a food that has been removed from the food supply chain to be recovered or disposed in compost, incineration, energy production, or at sea. It is estimated that about 1.3 trillion tons per year, equivalent to one-third of all food production per year, is wasted. In addition, the waste of food generates a great problem of environmental contamination. Among the foods that are most wasted in the industry, fruits and vegetables occupy 44% because of their perishable nature and their susceptibility to mechanical damage and attack of microorganisms. To reduce food loss and waste, it is necessary to find an alternative use of wastes and prevent the overproduction of food. The solution proposed during this chapter is the exploiting of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, fiber, vitamins, and minerals with multiple beneficial health activities that can be obtained from fruit and vegetable wastes. This would promote less waste, high economic potential for the production of ingredients and functional products with added value, greater sustainable development, and environmental protection.
