Food waste as renewable energy sources: perspectivity and technological solutions

The article highlights the main approaches to obtaining alternative energy sources that can replace hydrocarbon fuel. The review focuses on food waste degradation and possible recycling methods. Food waste is defined as a renewable resource with enormous energy, chemical and material potential due to the presence of organic functional substances in them. The authors presented the evidence base for the applicability of food waste, as well as wastewater from food production enterprises for biofuel production. The article discusses the methods of pyrolysis, anaerobic fermentation and the technology of liquefaction of Fischer-Tropsch gases. The processes of bioconversion of food waste are presented as the most promising. However, in order to extract the maximum amount of reducing sugars from food waste, it is necessary to pre-process them, which can be carried out either individually using physical, chemical, physicochemical, biological and enzymatic methods, or in a combination of these strategies. Among the latest approach to the production of bioelectricity from biomass using bacteria, the article provides an overview of the technology of microbial fuel cells (biocatalysis). An increase in energy by microorganisms occurs due to the oxidation of donor electrons and reduction of acceptor electrons. Changing the conditions of the electron acceptor creates the ability to use energy. This hybrid bioelectrochemical system converts chemical energy stored in biodegradable waste into electrical energy through redox reactions using microorganisms acting as biocatalysts. Thus, the authors provided an overview of modern achievements in the efficient use of food waste to create value-added products that will ensure the sustainability of food systems and become a tool for solving the global problem of preserving fossil resources and minimizing environmental risks for the planet's biosphere.