Unveiling the Potential of Agrifood By-products: a Comprehensive Review of Phytochemicals, Bioactivities and Industrial Applications

The agrifood systems produce a vast amount of food every year and yet, a large portion of that production is directly wasted. The valorisation of the by-products resulting from this sector is of the utmost importance for a full application of circular economy and the sustainability of the world in general. The residual biomass resulting from the agrifood systems can be used in a variety of ways, such as fuel, electricity or solvent production, or the extraction of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are secondary metabolites that have health benefits in humans, namely antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, among many others. As such, these are highly sought after in the fight against many diseases, including cancer and neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Here, we review the main types of phytochemicals present in agrifood by-products, along with their potential bioactivities, and some industrial applications in which these phytochemicals are already being used.