Nowadays, consumers are paying more and more attention to healthy eating, and unfortunately, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are affecting many people. In general, people are paying more attention to the consumption of fibre-rich foods. In our study, we developed high-fibre ready-to-bake flour mixture blends using purple wheat flour (white and wholemeal). For fibre fortification, inulin, chia seed flour and psyllium husk flour were used. After determining the basic nutritional parameters of the raw materials, four series of experiments were carried out to prepare bread rolls and to test the finished products. The correct mixing ratio of the enriching agents were tested, and the final flour mixtures were tested. At the end of our research, three blends (white purple wheat flour + 4% inulin + 2% psyllium husk flour; wholemeal purple wheat flour + white purple wheat flour + 4% inulin + 4% chia seed flour; wholemeal purple wheat flour + 4% inulin + 4% chia seed flour) were developed... [more]

Food production is being confronted by numerous difficulties related to sustainability, food quality and security [...]

The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of strawberry variety on the effectiveness of ozone application on the harvested fruit during 12 days of storage. Batches (400 g) of strawberries of the San Andreas (SA) and Camino Real (CR) varieties were stored at 10 ± 0.2 °C and exposed to gaseous ozone (0, 0.3, and 1.0 ppm) for 24 h. After the ozone exposure, the strawberries continued to be stored under refrigeration until the end of the experiment. Samples were taken daily and measurements were carried out on their physicochemical properties (weight loss, hardness, color, pH, and total soluble solids), microbiological profile (mesophilic aerobes, molds, and yeasts), bioactive compounds (total phenolic compounds and total anthocyanins), and antioxidant capacity. The obtained experimental kinetics were modeled using a first-order kinetic model. Independent of the strawberry variety, the 0.3 ppm ozone treatment generally showed the best results for most of the quality parameters... [more]

The demand for products based on natural ingredients is increasing among cosmetic and textile consumers. Cork extracts contain components of interest with special properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities, that might improve the effectiveness of cosmetic formulations currently on the market and may impart new characteristics to textiles. The main goal of this work was to investigate the effect of the incorporation of three cork extracts into two commercial cosmetic formulations (formulation A and B) and evaluate their role as textile dyeing agents. The extracts (E1, E2, and E3) were obtained from cork powder using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) (E1-NADES 1: lactic acid:glycerol, E2-NADES 2: lactic acid:glycine, and E3-NADES 3: lactic acid:sodium citrate) and applied in combination with the solvent. The impact of the extracts on the cosmetic formulations’ properties was evaluated in terms of pH, viscosity, antioxidant activity, transderma... [more]

The well-being of human populations and their sustainable development are strongly predicated on energy and food security. This is even more true of Africa due to often suboptimal food production, undernourishment, and extreme poverty. This article researches the relationship between energy and food security using Cobb−Douglas production functions based on the World Development Indicators data for 28 African countries. The methodological approach includes cross-sectional dependence and unit root tests, instrumental variables two-stage least-squares and generalized method of moments, and panel Driscoll−Kraay standard errors. Results suggest that the promotion of energy security promotes food security. This is possible because food production and distribution are energy-intensive. Therefore, energy is fundamental to achieving food security and zero hunger. The availability, affordability, accessibility, and acceptability of energy can thus help to fix the growing agricultural production... [more]

In the present study, the co-digestion effectiveness of the selected beverage wastes and municipal sewage sludge in two- and three-component mixtures was evaluated. Orange peels and orange pulp, as well as brewery spent grain were applied as co-substrates to sewage sludge at the following doses: 1.5 and 3.0 g of orange peels, 2.5 and 5 g of orange pulp, and 1.5 g brewery spent grain. Mono-digestion of sewage sludge was used as a control. The experiments were performed under mesophilic conditions in batch reactors. As compared to the control, only in the presence of the highest dose of pulp, brewery spent grain and sewage sludge was the increased methane production of 395 mL CH4 g−1 VS accompanying an additional energy profit of 82% observed. Moreover, in this case, the enhanced volatile solids removal and lower accumulation of p-cymene were found. These results were despite the increased limonene and phenol content in the feedstock, confirming a synergistic effect at the highest dose o... [more]

To maximize food waste utilization, it is necessary to understand the effect of process variables on product distribution. To this day, there is a lack of studies evaluating the effects of the multiple variables of HTC on food waste. A Design of Experiment (DoE) approach has been used to investigate the influence of three process variables on the product distribution and composition of process streams from the HTC of food waste. This work evaluates the effect of hydrothermal carbonization process conditions on the composition and utilization capabilities of hydrochar from food waste. Parametric analysis was carried out with a design of experiments of central composite rotatable design (CCRD) and response surface methodology (RSM). Derringer’s desirability function was employed to perform a multi-response evaluation. The optimized process conditions were 260.4 °C, 29.5 min reaction time, and 19.6% solid load. The predicted optimized responses were EMC = 2.7%, SY = 57.1%, EY = 84.7%, ED... [more]

In this study, the pyrolysis procedure was used to extract oil from pomegranate peels (PP) utilizing biomass-derived sulfonated tea waste as a catalyst. FTIR, SAA, SEM, and XRD were used to characterize the catalyst. Thermo-catalytic decomposition was carried out in a salt bath reactor and the bio-oil composition was determined through GC-MS. The oil obtained from virgin PP was observed to contain compounds in the range of C5−C13, whereas from the catalyzed reaction it was found to be rich in C5−C23. For the calculation of kinetic parameters, TG analysis was performed of virgin PP and with the catalyst at different heating rates. TG/DTG indicated weight loss in four steps. The first weight loss below 100 °C is due to the physically adsorbed water molecule evaporation. The second weight loss is attributed to hemicellulose decomposition and the third one to cellulose degradation. The fourth weight loss is due to lignin degradation. Kissinger model was used for measuring the activation en... [more]

Grass and other herbaceous biomass are abundant, but often under- or not utilized as a renewable resource. Here, the production of biochar from extensive late-harvest grass via multiple thermochemical conversion technologies was investigated at lab and farm scale for use in soil applications. While biochar is a product with highly diverse potential applications, it has a multitude of benefits for agricultural usage as a soil amendment, if the quality adheres to certain limit values of potentially toxic constituents. The results show that the biochar can adhere to all limit values of the European Biochar Certificate (EBC) for utilization in agriculture. Generally, the contents of heavy metals were well below the proposed EBC limits and very low PAH concentrations in the biochar were achieved. The high ash content in the grass of 7.71 wt resulted in high nutrient concentrations in the biochar, of benefit in soil applications, but the ash also contains chlorine, nitrogen and sulphur, whic... [more]

While poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) film is an excellent piezoelectric material for mechanical energy harvesting, the piezoelectric output varies considerably with the spin coating conditions. Herein, we reported a systematic evaluation of the structural, electrical, mechanical, and microstructural properties of spin-coated P(VDF-TrFE) films obtained at various distances from the center, as well as under different rotational speeds. With increasing distance, the remnant polarization, dielectric constant, and crystallinity of the films increased, which resulted in enhanced piezoelectric power at the largest distance. With increasing rotational speed, the remnant polarization, dielectric constant, and crystallinity of the films initially increased and then decreased, while the Young’s modulus continuously increased. This resulted in an enhanced piezoelectric power at a given rotational speed. The piezoelectric power is proportional to the remnant polarization... [more]

High-quality lighting of premises in the cultivation of farm animals is an important condition for the successful development of the agro-industrial complex. Sufficient lighting with the simulation of sunrise and sunset which increases daylight hours to 15−16 h can raise the level of production by 8−15%. The most innovative, economical and efficient light source for livestock, poultry and greenhouse buildings are LED lamps allowing for a short payback period. The difference between the models developed by the authors and the traditional point method is taking into account lamp length o, lamp suspension height, location of the illuminated area under the lamp at displacement and observation angles, and luminous flux of light source, and the most important thing is body angle of the light source. This paper presents the method for calculating illumination under the LED lamp due to the large error in the values obtained by theoretical methods due to the lack of a correction factor for chan... [more]

This article is a brief and critical review of the state of the art in algae production in the food and energy industries. Review and experimental articles from the last five years were selected to recapitulate the reasons for interest in algae cultivation, for which we highlight the most valuable phytochemicals passing through their niches in the food market, their bioenergetic potential and the possible uses of algal waste biomass. In addition, we punctuate the advent of algae biorefineries. The objectives of this study were to list the main points related to interest in cultivation, drawing a parallel between the establishment of algae in the food market and its potential to establish itself in the energy market. It was concluded that the use of algae biorefineries has been used as a solution for the food, chemical and energy markets, despite the need for the development of broader research on industrial scale.

This study investigates the design and development of a pyrolysis reactor for batch-type biochar production from rice husks. The main objective is to develop an appropriate technology to regulate pyrolysis temperature and biomass residence time that can be easily operated under field and household conditions with minimal operational and technical requirements. The designed novel dual-chamber reactor comprises two concentrical metal cylinders and a syngas circulation system. The outer cylinder is for energy generation and the inner one is for pyrolysis. Temperature profiles, energy exchanges, syngas production, and the physicochemical characteristics of biochar were obtained to determine the performance of the reactor. Different trials were carried out to obtain different pyrolysis temperatures under constant amounts of feedstock and fuel. The temperature was monitored continuously at three predetermined reactor heights, the temperature profile varied from 380 °C to 1000 °C. The biochar... [more]

The presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils can upset the natural balance and increase the risk of PTE incorporation into the food chain. The use of composite biochar with municipal sewage sludge compost (MSSC/C) can be an effective way of both managing waste, such as sewage sludge, and providing an effective additive-supporting phytostabilization processes. The effectiveness of D. glomerata and MSSC/C in the technique of assisted phytostabilization of industrially contaminated soils was determined under the pot experiment conditions. The PTE contents in D. glomerata and the soil were determined using the spectrophotometric method. The addition of MSSC/C to PTE-contaminated soil contributed to an 18% increase in plant biomass and increased the soil pH by 1.67 units, with the PTE concentration being higher in the roots than in the above-ground parts of D. glomerata. The MSSC/C addition had the strongest effect on the reduction in Cd, Cr, and Ni contents in the soil follow... [more]

Reducing the phenomenon of food waste and effective management of already wasted food in the form of post-consumer waste, included in the source-separated organic fraction of municipal solid waste (SS-OFMSW) from households and catering facilities, are some of the key challenges of the circular economy (CE), in particular in highly urbanized areas. The basis for the effective use of this waste is the knowledge of its physical and chemical properties. The main objective of the paper is to identify the key technological and organizational parameters for selective collection determining the characteristics of the SS-OFMSW and, consequently, the optimal path for its management. This paper presents the results of qualitative research of SS-OFMSW generated in the capital of Poland—Warsaw—coming from three sources: multi- and single-family housing and catering facilities. The collection efficiency of this waste was determined in the form of quality in container rate (QCR = 92−97%) and variabi... [more]

The recovery of livestock manure, rich in nutrients, as fertilizer in agriculture, could pose the risk of an excessive load of nitrogen on the soil. Ammonia stripping is one of the available technologies for reducing the amount of nitrogen in the digestate obtained by the anaerobic digestion of manure. The study investigated the performance and energy consumption of a full-scale ammonia-stripping plant, equipped with a bubble reactor and working without the use of any alkaline reagent under semi-batch conditions. Stripping tests were conducted on the liquid fraction of the digestate, studying the current and optimized operative conditions of the plant. The main variables influencing the process were pH, temperature, airflow, and feed characteristics. In the experimental tests, the pH spontaneously increased to 10, without dosing basifying agents. Higher temperatures favoured the stripping process, the higher tested value being 68 °C. The airflow was kept equal to 15 Nm3 h−1 m−3digestat... [more]

In the context of increasing pressure regarding the sustainable utilization of food waste in a circular economy, one of the trends is their biological transformation, through anaerobic digestion, into biogas as a renewable source of energy. We presented the physical-chemical properties of the main categories of food waste from different sources: dairy, meat, and poultry, fish, fruit and vegetable, cereal and bakery, brewing and winery industries, and others. Due to the high organic load, the presence of a multitude of nutrients, and an insignificant amount of inhibitors, food waste can be successfully used in the biogas production process in co-digestion with other materials. Physical (mechanical and thermal), chemical (alkali, acid, and oxidative), and biological (enzymatic, bacterial, and fungal) techniques have been widely used for pretreatment of different substrate types, including food waste. These pretreatments facilitate the degradation of pretreated food waste during anaerobic... [more]

This paper presents a solution for reducing energy loss in the hydraulic control system of agricultural tractors and their implements. The solution is referred to as a multi-pressure rail (MPR) and provides power to the hydraulic functions following a pressure control logic, as opposed to the traditional flow control logic typical of hydraulic systems used in off-road vehicles. The proposed hydraulic control system allows for elimination of redundant flow control valves in the state-of-the-art system, which cause excessive throttling losses leading to poor overall energy efficiency. Related work on MPR technology targets construction vehicles, where the MPR solution can allow energy recovery during overrunning loads and better engine management. This paper alternatively addresses the case of agricultural applications where functions mostly operate under resistive load conditions with slow dynamics, which offers an opportunity to target throttle losses. For this purpose, the paper intro... [more]

Recently, under COP26, several countries agreed to phase-out coal from their energy systems. The torrefaction industry can take advantage of this, as the fuel characteristics of torrefied biomasses are comparable to those of coal. However, in terms of economic feasibility, torrefied biomass pellets are not yet competitive with coal without subsidies because of the high price of woody biomass. Thus, there is a need to produce torrefied pellets from low-cost feedstock; pulp industry sludge is one such feedstock. In this context, this study was focused on the torrefaction of pulp industry sludge. Torrefaction experiments were carried out using a continuous reactor, at temperatures of 250, 275, and 300 °C. The heating value of the sludge increased from 19 to 22 MJ/kg after torrefaction at 300 °C. The fixed carbon content increased from 16 wt.% for dried pulp sludge to 30 wt.% for torrefied pulp sludge. The fuel ratio was in the range of 0.27 to 0.61. The ash content of the pulp sludge was... [more]

Due to global warming, technologies reducing CO2 emissions in the metallurgical industry are being sought. One possibility is to use bio-coke as a substitute for classic coke made of 100% fossil coal. Bio-coke can be produced on the basis of coal with the addition of substances of biomass origin. Blends for the production of bio-coke should have appropriate coke-making properties to ensure the appropriate quality of bio-coke. The article presents the results of the research on the influence of the addition (up to 20%) of bio-components of different origins to the coke blend on its coke-making properties, i.e., Gieseler Fluidity, Arnu—Audibert Dilatation and Roga Index. The bio-components used in the research were raw and thermally processed waste biomass of different origins (forestry: beech and alder woodchips; sawmill: pine sawdust; and the food industry: hazelnut shells and olive kernels) and commercial charcoal. Studies have shown that both the amount of additive and the type of ad... [more]

This study aimed at evaluating the methane potential of two ultrafiltration (UFP) and two diafiltration (DFP) permeates generated during milk protein concentration. The permeates were characterized by a different chemical oxygen demand (COD) ranging from 7610 mg O2/L to 57,020 mg O2/L. The CH4 production efficiency was recorded for 20 days and ranged from 149 to 181 NL/kg CODadded. Moreover, the possibilities of the use of UFP/DFP to produce electricity and heat with a combined heat and power (CHP) unit was analyzed to underline the impact of the implementation of anaerobic digestion on the electric and thermal energy requirements of a dairy plant. It was concluded that the application of anaerobic digestion to UFP and DFP treatments generates the energy required to cover all the large-scale dairy plant energy demands and produce extra income. The amount of permeates generated annually in the analyzed dairy plant will enable the production of approx. 22,699 MWh of electricity and 85,51... [more]

Ti-extraction blast furnace slag (EBFS) is a secondary slag produced by titanium extraction of titanium-bearing blast furnace slag (TBBFS), which is challenging to be used directly because of its residual carbon and chlorine. This study was performed to recover the residual carbon and remove chlorine from EBFS by froth flotation. The finely ground EBFS (FEBFS) contained graphitized carbon and khamrabaevite and had a 10.19% loss on ignition (LOI) and 5.52% Cl. The graphitized carbon was mainly recovered by flotation rather than khamrabaevite. Graphitized carbon appeared as flakes embedded in or stacked on the surface of the concentrate grains. The irregular-shaped particles were amorphous aluminosilicate glasses, whose presence adversely affected the quality and performance of the flotation concentrate. The Cl contents of the flotation concentrate and tailings obtained under the optimized flotation conditions were significantly reduced to 1.17% and 0.4%, respectively. The dechlorination... [more]

The aim of the research is to assess the potential of agricultural biomass available in European Union countries that can be used for energy purposes. The research took into account the potential of agricultural biomass from: straw from cereal crops, hay from permanent grasslands, natural fertilizers from animal husbandry, cultivation of energy crops on fallow land and waste wood from permanent crops. The study estimated the theoretical potential presenting the energy value of all existing agricultural biomass resources in EU countries and the technical potential taking into account agricultural biomass resources that are not used in agriculture. The research was based on Eurostat data for 2019. The conducted research shows that European Union countries are characterized by a significant potential of agricultural biomass. However, due to the high demand for this resource in agriculture, about 15% of the existing potential can be used for energy purposes. Among the analyzed sources, the... [more]

The transition from the use of fossil fuels to renewable and green energy is a worldwide challenge that must be seriously considered in order to ensure sustainable development and the preservation of the environment. The conversion of wet biomasses (i.e., sewage sludge) into energy through thermochemical processes in general and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) in particular has been pointed out as an interesting and attractive approach for the energetic and agricultural valorization of the produced solid residues, named hydrochars. The success of such valorization options is highly dependent on these hydrochars’ physico-chemical and energetic properties that are influenced not only by the type of the sludge (urban or industrial) and its nature (primary, secondary, or digested) but also by the HTC parameters, especially temperature, pressure, and residence time. This editorial provides a summary of the latest studies regarding the impact of the cited above parameters on the properties... [more]

Increasing the share of renewable energy in the final energy consumption is a way to ensure independence from external supplies of fossil fuels, which is a fundamental political and economic challenge for many countries nowadays. One such country is Ukraine, which depended on Russian gas supplies and energy (electricity) from nuclear power plants. Russian gas is not delivered anymore to Ukraine, and Russians have recently taken over some of the nuclear power plants. The changes in the political situation force Ukraine to search for alternative energy sources. In countries with high agricultural production potential, one of the basic options seems to be popularization of modern methods of obtaining energy from biomass (bioenergy), which so far has played a minor role in the country’s energy mix (less than 2% in the case of Ukraine). The analysis carried out on the case of the Kyiv Region indicates that the annual economic potential of biomass in the region is equivalent to 1743 thousand... [more]