By-Products as Sustainable Source of Bioactive Compounds for Potential Application in the Field of Food and New Materials for Packaging Development

The global economy growth requires a sustainable management of agro-industrials and by-products, as they represent a source of bioactive compounds (BCs) (such as antioxidants and carbohydrates) with relevant biotechnological and nutritional value. Their use is potentially applicable to different fields, as it can provide an added value to food products, such as shelf-life improvement. Moreover, according to the “Zero” principles, the residual matrices can be also employed to obtain innovative and eco-friendly bio-composite materials. The review gives an overview of the different uses of extracts derived from renewable sources and proposed as food ingredients for the development of new functional foods with improved oxidative stability. It also focuses on the exploitation of by-products in the field of packaging, showing applications regarding the formulations of active films, and their use as fillers for the development of innovative materials. Besides, a remarkable note about safety assessment is important to underline the need for analytical controls to ensure health matters.