Preliminary physicochemical characterization of biowaste from small restaurants in Costa Rica
-
Wendy Villalobos-González
Abstract
Increased interest in waste valorization underscores the potential of biowaste (BW) from small-scale food establishments as a resource within the circular economy. This study aimed to characterize the physicochemical properties of BW generated by three small restaurants in Costa Rica to evaluate its suitability for value-added applications. Eighteen samples from each restaurant were randomly collected, processed, and analyzed for moisture, fiber, starch, protein, calorific value, and other properties following standardized laboratory protocols. Statistical analysis, including ANOVA, was applied to identify significant differences between the waste profiles of the establishments. The results demonstrated variability in BW composition, with significant differences in fiber, starch, and carbohydrate content across the three locations, likely due to differences in menu offerings and food preparation practices. High fiber and carbohydrate content in certain samples indicated their potential for bio-based material production and energy recovery applications. The study concluded that BW from small restaurants presents valuable opportunities for integration into sustainable waste management systems, supporting Costa Rica’s initiatives toward circular economy practices and environmental sustainability. These findings underscore the importance of tailored waste valorization strategies that align with the unique waste profiles of small food service establishments.
Acknowledgments
We would like to extend our gratitude to Geographer Benjamín Álvarez Garay from the Universidad Estatal a Distancia for his invaluable collaboration in the preparation of the map featured in Fig. 1. Also, we would like to thank Universidad Estatal a Distancia and the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica for providing technical and institutional support for this research.
-
Research ethics: Not applicable.
-
Informed consent: Not applicable.
-
Author contributions: All the authors actively participated in the research process, contributing to laboratory experiments, data analysis, validation, and the preparation of the original manuscript.
-
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
-
Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
-
Research funding: None declared.
-
Data availability: Not applicable.
References
1. Ugalde-Hernández, O. Evolución histórica-epistemológica de la Economía Circular: ¿Hacia un nuevo paradigma del desarrollo? Economía y Sociedad 2021, 26 (59), 1–16; https://doi.org/10.15359/eys.26-59.5.Suche in Google Scholar
2. Rangel Saltos, J. E.; García Noboa, J. P.; Vera Basurto, J. S. Economía Circular Y Emprendimiento Sostenible. RECIAMUC 2022, 6 (3), 63–70; https://doi.org/10.26820/reciamuc/6.(3).julio.2022.63-70.Suche in Google Scholar
3. Melendez, J. R. Circular Agri-Food Economy: Managerial Trends for the Sustainability of Production Systems. Revista Venezolana de Gerencia 2023, 28 (9), 664–684; https://doi.org/10.52080/rvgluz.28.e9.41.Suche in Google Scholar
4. Ellen MacArthur Foundation Making Nature-Positive Food the Norm. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/resources/food-redesign/overview (Accessed Nov 13, 2023).Suche in Google Scholar
5. Delgado, M.; López, A.; Cuartas, M.; Rico, C.; Lobo, A. A Decision Support Tool for Planning Biowaste Management Systems. J. Clean. Prod. 2020, 242, 118460; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118460.Suche in Google Scholar
6. Liu, Z.; de Souza, T. S. P.; Holland, B.; Dunshea, F.; Barrow, C.; Suleria, H. A. R. Valorization of Food Waste to Produce Value-Added Products Based on its Bioactive Compounds. MDPI 2023, 11, 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11030840.Suche in Google Scholar
7. Mishra, K.; Siwal, S. S.; Nayaka, S. C.; Guan, Z.; Thakur, V. K. Waste-to-chemicals: Green Solutions for Bioeconomy Markets. Sci. Total Environ. 2023, 887, 164006; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164006.Suche in Google Scholar PubMed
8. Linden, A.; Reichel, A.; European Environment Agency. Bio-waste in Europe-Turning Challenges into Opportunities. Publications Office. 2020. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2800/630938.Suche in Google Scholar
9. Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura. Pérdidas y desperdicios de alimentos en América Latina y el Caribe. https://www.fao.org/americas/noticias/ver/es/c/239393/ (Accessed Nov 13, 2023).Suche in Google Scholar
10. Roy, P.; Mohanty, A. K.; Dick, P.; Misra, M. A Review on the Challenges and Choices for Food Waste Valorization: Environmental and Economic Impacts. ACS Environ. Au 2023, 3 (2), 58–75; https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenvironau.2c00050.Suche in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
11. Ministerio de Salud and Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía. Plan de acción para la Gestión Integral de Residuos 2019-2025. Oficina de Publicaciones 2019. https://d1qqtien6gys07.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/plan_accion_gestion_integral_residuos_08042021.pdf.Suche in Google Scholar
12. Lizundia, E.; Luzi, F.; Puglia, D. Organic Waste Valorization towards Circular and Sustainable Biocomposites. Green Chem. 2022, 24 (14), 5429–5459; https://doi.org/10.1039/D2GC01668K.Suche in Google Scholar
13. Montoneri, E.; Koutinas, M.; Padoan, E.; Negro, V.; Licignano, C.; Leone, S.; Photiou, P.; Kallis, M.; Vyrides, I.; Liendo, F.; Negre, M.; Solaro, S.; Antonini, M.; Mainero, D.; Vlysidis, A.; Konstantinidis, V.; Ladakis, D.; Maina, S.; Koutinas, A. Integrated Chemical and Biochemical Technology to Produce Biogas with a Reduced Ammonia Content from Municipal Biowaste. Validating Lab-Scale Research in a Real Operational Environment. Environ. Sci.: Adv. 2022, 1 (5), 746–768; https://doi.org/10.1039/D2VA00068G.Suche in Google Scholar
14. Soto-Córdoba, S.; González-Buitrago, J. Determinación del índice de generación y composición de residuos sólidos en la zona urbana del cantón de Turrialba, Costa Rica; Revista Tecnología en Marcha, 2019. https://doi.org/10.18845/tm.v32i3.4500.Suche in Google Scholar
15. Herrera-Murillo, J.; Rojas-Marín, J. F. Tasas de generación y caracterización de residuos sólidos ordinarios en cuatro municipios del área metropolitana Costa Rica. Revista Geográfica de América Central 2016 (57), 235–260.10.15359/rgac.57-2.9Suche in Google Scholar
16. Hernández-Chaverri, R. A.; Buenrostro-Figueroa, J. J.; Prado-Barragán, L. A. Biomass: Biorefinery as a Model to Boost the Bioeconomy in Costa Rica, a Review. Agronomia Mesoamericana 2021, 32 (3), 1047–1070; https://doi.org/10.15517/AM.V32I3.43736.Suche in Google Scholar
17. Wanner Forner, J.; De Conto, S. M. Geração de resíduos sólidos de um restaurante em uma instituição de ensino superior. Revista Gestão & Sustentabilidade Ambiental 2020, 9 (1), 255; https://doi.org/10.19177/rgsa.v9e12020255-272.Suche in Google Scholar
18. Ferreira Silva Domingues, C.; Priscila Campregher Thomaz, D.; Lopes Weber, M. Geração de resíduos sólidos orgânicos em um restaurante universitário de São Paulo/SP. Revista Meio Ambiente e Sustentabilidade 2016, 5 (10). https://doi.org/10.22292/mas.v10i5.490.Suche in Google Scholar
19. Picco, C. M.; Regenhardt, S.; Bálsamo, N.; Palma, S. Material biobasado a base de subproductos agroindustriales de Argentina y micelio de hongo Pleurotus Ostreatus. Aplicaciones en embalajes y paneles aislantes. AJEA 2022, (15); https://doi.org/10.33414/ajea.1027.Suche in Google Scholar
20. Thakali, A.; MacRae, J. D. A Review of Chemical and Microbial Contamination in Food: What Are the Threats to a Circular Food System? Environ. Res. 2021, 194, 110635; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110635.Suche in Google Scholar PubMed
21. Bátori, V. Fruit Wastes to Biomaterials: Development of Biofilms and 3D Objects in a Circular Economy System. Ph.D. Dissertation, 2019. https://hb.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1270941&dswid=494.Suche in Google Scholar
22. Hart, A.; Ebiundu, K.; Peretomode, E.; Onyeaka, H.; Nwabor, O. F.; Obileke, K. C. Value-added Materials Recovered from Waste Bone Biomass: Technologies and Applications. Roy. Soc. Chem. 2022, 12, 22302–22330; https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ra03557j.Suche in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
23. Baraddiaz, S.; Meiyanasari, Y.; Luwinsky, I.; Subroto, E. Review on the Analysis Methods of Starch, Amylose, Amylopectin in Fod and Agricutural Products. IJETER 2020, 8, 3519–3524.10.30534/ijeter/2020/103872020Suche in Google Scholar
24. Momi-Chacón, A.; Capitán-Jiménez, C.; Willett, W. C.; Campos, H. Adaptation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire to Assess Dietary Intake in the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. Rev. Hisp. Cienc. Salud. 2018, 4 (1), 22.Suche in Google Scholar
25. Haro-Velasteguí, A.; Borja-Arévalo, A.; Triviño-Bloisse, S. Análisis sobre el aprovechamiento de los residuos del plátano, como materia prima para la producción de materiales plásticos biodegradables. Dom. Cien. 2017, 3 (2), 506–525; https://doi.org/10.23857/dc.v3i2.435.Suche in Google Scholar
26. Anshariah; Imran, A. M.; Widodo, S.; Irvan, U. R. Correlation of Fixed Carbon Content and Calorific Value of South Sulawesi Coal, Indonesia. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science; Institute of Physics Publishing, 2020.10.1088/1755-1315/473/1/012106Suche in Google Scholar
27. Esteves, B.; Sen, U.; Pereira, H. Influence of Chemical Composition on Heating Value of Biomass: A Review and Bibliometric Analysis. MDPI 2023, 16, 4226; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16104226.Suche in Google Scholar
28. Calizaya-Mamani, G.; Sotelo-Méndez, A.; Chire-Fajardo, G. La Fibra Dietaria, Importante Componente Fisicoquímico: Un Caso Peruano. Tecnología Química 2023, 43 (3). http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2224-61852023000300676.Suche in Google Scholar
29. Kringel, D. H.; Dias, A. R. G.; Zavareze, E. da R.; Gandra, E. A. Fruit Wastes as Promising Sources of Starch: Extraction, Properties, and Applications. 2020, 72; https://doi.org/10.1002/star.201900200.Suche in Google Scholar
30. Li, D.; Zhu, F. Starch Structure in Developing Kiwifruit. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2018, 120, 1306–1314; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.08.128.Suche in Google Scholar PubMed
© 2025 IUPAC & De Gruyter
