Application of nanobiocatalysts on food waste

Food waste has emerged as a challenging consequence of the growing global population and as a valuable resource in a biobased economy. The conversion of food waste into energy or useful biochemicals can support such an economy. A large proportion of food waste can be converted into bioenergy precursors such as bioethanol. The presence of bioactive substances in food wastes highlights the value of such sources that would otherwise be consigned to waste. Enzymes have been used to facilitate biofuel production and natural product extraction from food waste. Drawbacks associated with the use of enzymes have been addressed by the development of nanobiocatalysts (NBCs). This chapter provides a description of the development of NBCs that facilitate biofuel production and the extraction of natural products from food wastes. The chapter will trace key advances in (1) methods of enzyme immobilization on nanoparticles and (2) construction of enzyme-nanoparticle constructs that are capable of transforming food waste into useful products. The use of NBCs for processing food wastes is of paramount importance in the context of rising global health and environmental concerns. This chapter is expected to add an important dimension to the role of NBCs in food processing.