Biovalorization of Potato Peel Waste: An Overview

The potato is one of the world’s most widely grown and consumed food crops and its production has significantly increased in recent years. Its industrial processing produces several waste products that negatively impact the environment, potato peel stands out among them, accounting for up to 10% of all the potato waste obtained after processing. Potato peel is a valuable source of bioactive substances that can be processed to be converted into value-added bioproducts. It is one of the essential substrates for industrial aspects such as cosmetic, medicinal, bioenergy, etc., to make economically profitable and environmentally safe industries. The integrated biorefinery model for potato peel can increase the value of this waste by producing several value-added products like biofuels, dietary fiber, biofertilizers, biogas, biocomposite, antioxidants, organic acids, livestock feed, etc., and reducing extensive waste generation. Researchers are looking forward to producing bio-renewable energy using potato peel. This chapter provides an overview of the biorefinery approaches used in the valorization of potato peel waste which includes the formation of various valuable products such as biohydrogen, bioethanol, etc.