Agricultural By-products: Ecological, Economic, and Social Dimensions and Pathways toward Sustainable Technologies

Abstract

By-products arising from the industrial processing of agricultural raw materials impose considerable ecological, economic, and social challenges. The uncontrolled disposal of organic matter in landfills leads to methane emissions, which account for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas outputs and represent a major driver of climate change and global warming. Environmental pollution further threatens human health and biodiversity while exacerbating ecosystem and soil degradation. Economically, the underutilization of agricultural by-products results in estimated annual global losses ranging from USD 780 billion to 1 trillion. Socially, approximately 1.3 billion tons of food are lost worldwide each year, even as 690–829 million people experience chronic hunger, 3 billion lack access to nutritious diets, and thousands of children die annually due to food scarcity. Within the framework of the circular economy, the valorization of agricultural by-products offers a sustainable pathway for their safe conversion into value-added food products, thereby promoting integrated economic growth, social well-being, and environmental protection. In this study, we examine the recovery of dietary fiber from by-products derived from the industrial processing of mandarin (Citrus reticulata) flowers and assess the biosorption capacity of the extracted fiber.