Editorial: Producing foods and ingredients through valorization of agro-industrial by-products

There are currently a number of factors that prompt us to question or rethink our food systems (Eames-Sheavly et al., 2011): rapid population growth; disparity in access to nutrients, due to a lack or an inadequate balance of them; changes in consumption habits; scarcity of certain natural resources, and the non-use of others; and the significant amount of food that is thrown away (Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, 2016). Another important factor is the volume of by-products that many agro-industries generate, which are discarded as waste, directly impacting the environment (Sanchez Lopez et al., 2022), (Rumaihi et al., 2020). More information is needed about the new paradigm of staying healthy through food and, as a society, evaluating whether our diet is sustainable. Subsequently, it will be necessary to improve traditional foods so that they sustainably fulfill the role of keeping us healthy while respecting the customs and habits of our population (WHO, 2020). Making security and nutrition a central priority when assessing the sustainability of food systems will help break the vicious cycle of malnutrition and disease, and help policymakers turn data into action (World Health Organization, 2022). Linking this priority to food sustainability systems is the search for value alternatives, such as by-products generated and discarded by agro-industries. Approximately 38% of total food waste generated arises during its processing (Helkar et al., 2016), after which it is discarded, incurring disposal costs and negatively impacting the environment. In many cases, these by-products are rich in nutrients such as dietary fiber, protein, and antioxidants, which can improve the nutritional profile of massconsumption foods. Thus, there is growing interest in revaluing the large quantities of waste generated by agro-industries, and the development of nutrient-rich foodstuffs from these by-products warrants further investigation. However, this revaluing concept presents some challenges in terms of incorporating the ingredients into the formulation and analyzing how well consumers understand and appreciate the idea. OPEN ACCESS