Sustainability and Gender Perspective in Food Innovation: Foods and Food Processing Coproducts as Source of Macro- and Micro-Nutrients for Woman-Fortified Foods

Abstract

Micro- and macro-nutrient deficiencies among women are considered a global issue that the food industry has not adequately considered until recently. The industry must provide and guarantee a diversity of food products worldwide that allow women to get a correct and balanced diet according their life stage. The food industry must focus on this challenge within a framework of sustainable production, minimizing the use of natural resources and avoiding the emission of waste and pollutants throughout the life cycle of food. Food coproducts are presented as potential bioactive functional compounds which can be useful for technological purposes, due to the fact that they can serve as non-chemical, natural and health-improving food ingredients. In this review, we focus on the potential use of food processing coproducts which must be part of a strategy to promote and improve women’s health and well-being. This knowledge will make it possible to select potential ingredients from coproducts to be used in the fortification of foods intended for consumption by females and to introduce sustainability and gender perspectives into food innovation. The attainment of fortifications for foods for women has to be linked to the use of sustainable sources from food coproducts in order to be economically viable and competitive.

Valorization of Fruit Co-Product Flours for Human Nutrition: Challenges, Applications, and Perspectives

“…Another key point for the inclusion of fruit co-product flours in human diets is the idea that they can contribute to achieving more adequate nutrition, especially among the most vulnerable populations [86]. The prevalence of hunger and malnutrition remains alarming, as do other pathologies aggravated by nutritional deficiencies caused by monotonous, low-quality diets [87].…”

Healthier Oils: A New Scope in the Development of Functional Meat and Dairy Products: A Review

“…Milk is a complete and balanced food as a source of nutrients [162] but it also contains a considerable amount of saturated fat. This high fat content has been the subject of various reduction strategies to diminish potential health risks.…”

Food Processing Technology Innovation to Improve Food Quality, Safety and Availability

“…Nano-fertilizers and nanofertilization techniques have been developed to increase crop productivity and promote sustainable agriculture [13]. Cold plasma processing is a non-thermal approach that preserves food quality while minimizing the effects of heat on its nutritional quality [14]. Recent advances in food packaging have incorporated additional functions, such as active packaging and smart packaging, to increase food shelf life and improve food quality and safety [15].…”