Latest research progress on food waste management: a comprehensive review

Abstract

Abstract.Since a large amount of food supplying is provided as a basic line measuring increasing residents' life standard, food waste has become progressively numeral considerable. Much attention has been drawn to this problem. This work gave an overview on latest researches about anaerobic digestion, composting, generalized management and other developments on management of food waste. Different technologies were introduced and evaluated. Further views on future research in such a field were proposed. IntroductionFood waste (FW) is composed of household food waste, food-processing waste, canteen and restaurant waste, which is one of the components of municipal solid waste [1]. The accumulation of FW cannot be neglected because of tremendous environmental and sanitary problems with it. FW amount is estimated to quickly increase from 2.78 billion tons to 4.16 billion tons in Asian countries by 2025[1]. About 1.3billion tons of food, fully one-third of all food produced is lost along the food supply chain every year [7]. While economy is still accelerated, FW grows larger at the same time. However, it is significant to see that FW management also takes an important role in the renewable energy and sustainable development for values like Biomethane potential(BMP) of FW. With rising attention being moved on this field, technologies developments for this have been made continually.Anaerobic digestion (AD) has always been the hot research trend for its relatively costeffectiveness, renewable energy production and waste treatment of high-moisture and energy-rich material [2]. During AD process, biomass and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) can be converted into combustible biogas (mainly methane, and other gases like hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide) [2]. Parameters such as methane yield and volatile solids reduction or so were used to assess experiment performance. In order to enhance methane generation performance, various aspects of AD were researched. Additive supplementation, operational alternations, parameters optimization and microbial actions have been discussed by researchers. In addition to AD, composting, co-pyrolysis and other FW managements pathways also have been conducted to research results. At the same time, investigations and sorting systems were made for governments to implement better decisions on FW management. This paper aims to critically give an overview on latest research progress and novel developments of FW management in 2018. Further views on future research needs in such a field were proposed simultaneously.

A comprehensive approach to the feasibility assessment of on‐campus food waste composting

“…Ng et al (2020) discussed the recent advances in the sustainable approaches to the conversion and reutilization of food waste to valuable bioproducts. Shangzhen et al (2018) also presented an overview of the latest research on anaerobic digestion, composting, and other developments in food waste management along with the different technologies used in this industry. This section presents a review of the limited literature on food waste composting in universities and explores the approaches used for its economic assessment.…”

A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Dry and Wet Anaerobic Digestion Technologies for Food Waste Management

“…Landfilling the FW in large volumes will adversely affect human health and cause tremendous environmental and sanitary problems like greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, leachate production, air pollution, underground water contamination, and degradation of valuable land resources (Bong et al 2017). However, it is also significant to shift FW management into clean energy and sustainable development (Zhu et al 2018). The potential for biomethane (BMP) production from FW has been identified as one of the key benefits to add value to FW (Zhu et al 2018).…”

“…However, it is also significant to shift FW management into clean energy and sustainable development (Zhu et al 2018). The potential for biomethane (BMP) production from FW has been identified as one of the key benefits to add value to FW (Zhu et al 2018). This value can be increased through the development of effective waste management technologies.…”