Analysis of the Food Loss and Waste Valorisation of Animal By-Products from the Retail Sector

João Pinto, Rui Boavida-Dias, Henrique A. Matos and João Azevedo
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João Pinto: Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Rui Boavida-Dias: Low Carbon & Resource Efficiency, R&Di, Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, 4415-491 Grijó, Portugal
Henrique A. Matos: CERENA, DEQ, Instituto Superior Técnico—Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
João Azevedo: Department of Innovation & Technology Transfer, FEUGA, Campus Universitário Plaza Miralles, Local A2, 36310 Vigo, Spain

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-27

Abstract: The meat industry generates a large amount of animal by-products not only derived from the slaughter process but also due to the losses and waste of meat products along the supply chain, contributing to the world’s food loss and waste problem. Yearly, 1.7 Mt of meat in the European retail sector and 20% of meat for consumption is wasted in this sector of the supply chain. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to find and evaluate alternatives for the valorisation of agri-food residues, more specifically the meat waste from the food retail sector, through a technological perspective. Thus, we delve into the industrial processes already implemented and the emerging procedures that use muscle, bones and fats by-products from poultry, cattle and pork as the main raw materials in order to identify and characterise them. The results indicate that in addition to the current destinations—landfill, incineration and the rendering process—these animal by-products can be incorporated in the production of biodiesel, food formulations, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers and biogas through an industrial symbiosis approach. Consequently, the several valorisation processes and procedures identified not only suggest an increase in concern about the impacts of the disposal of these materials, but also highlight the potential associated with the use of animal by-products as raw material to obtain added-value products.

Keywords: agri-food business; animal by-products; food retail sector; industrial symbiosis; circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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