The Valorization of Agrifood Byproducts and Waste to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals: Current State and New Perspectives

Approximately a third (1.3 billion tons) of the food that is generated globally is lost each year, and it accounts for over 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Most of this loss is by-products generated during post-harvest and food processing, which account for 30–50% of raw materials, including shells, skins, pulp, stems, and seeds. While generally wasted, such by-products contain precious bioactive molecules such as phenolic acids, bioactive peptides, carotenoids, fibers, and secondary metabolites (e.g., terpenes, polyphenols, alkaloids) and minerals, amino acids, and vitamins. This review outlines how these high value agrifood by-products can be utilized towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). It encompasses extraction methods, characterization, and potential uses of such active compounds in the food, pharmaceutical, packaging, and cosmetic sectors. Moreover, it examines the interaction between valuing agrifood by-products and key SDGs like eliminating hunger (SDG 2), ensuring good health and well-being (SDG 3), promoting affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), promoting economic growth and decent work (SDG 8), ensuring responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and tackling climate action (SDG 13). These approaches have high potential to improve food security and economic sustainability of the world's food systems.