Introduction to vegetable processing wastes

Vegetables waste and by-products include its peels, seeds, leaf and stem. The industrial processing of vegetables generates large amount of waste or by-products, that is almost 25% of the vegetable itself. Vegetables are consumed because they are economically affordable and nutritionally rich. The waste produce during its transportation, processing, and household use generates unsafe greenhouse gas emission, harmful for marine life. The research on vegetable waste demonstrates that it contains various bioactive compounds in the form of fiber, polyphenols, and prebiotics that can be incorporated in food and non-food applications to improve nutritional importance of food. The bioactive compounds from vegetable waste are extracted by either conventional methods or green extraction methods. Green extraction methods are more rapid, efficient, inexpensive and less hazardous than Conventional methods. These bioactive compounds are rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and many other beneficial properties to human health. The vegetable waste is successfully incorporated in bakery, dairy, and meat products to enhance its nutrition, functionality, and shelf-life stability. It is also useful in production of decomposable bio-packaging materials and provide environmental sustainability.