Valorization of agro-industrial biowaste to biomaterials: An innovative circular bioeconomy approach

Population growth and increased food demand have increased global waste. Converting biowaste into biomaterials has been the subject of extensive research, and various strategies have been investigated. Microorganisms can ferment a large amount of useable carbon in biowaste from the food and agricultural industries to produce valuable goods. Those who advocate for a “circular bioeconomy” aim to establish a system that eliminates waste by recycling and reusing its components. Various novel biomaterials, such as collagen, chitosan, pullulan, hydroxyapatite, cellulose, gelatin, and carbon-based nanocomposites, can be derived from biowaste through bioprocessing. This paper demonstrates to what extent we have succeeded in transforming biowaste into biomaterials with commercial value. Furthermore, this article discusses the most recent developments in waste valorization and circular economy concepts and the promising future of transforming agro-industrial wastes into functional biomaterials and their applications.