Date:
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Researchers are finding extraordinary new uses for what we throw away. Beet pulp may help crops resist disease, while composted coconut fibers could replace peat moss. Discarded radish and beet greens are rich in bioactive compounds that boost gut health and protect cells. Food waste is rapidly becoming a source of sustainable solutions for both agriculture and health.

FULL STORY


Scientists Find Gold Hiding in Food Waste
Trash is turning into treasure as food waste fuels breakthroughs in farming, health, and sustainability. Credit: Shutterstock

Food waste can be far more valuable than the pile of scraps left behind after a meal. Scientists are uncovering surprising ways to turn discarded materials -- from dried beet pulp to coconut fibers processed by millipedes -- into useful resources. In four new studies published in ACS journals, researchers reveal how food waste can offer eco-friendly tools for agriculture and new sources of beneficial compounds for medicine.

1. Sugar by-product may "beet" wheat disease.

In a study published in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers found that sugar beet pulp could help farmers cut down on synthetic pesticide use. This leftover pulp, which makes up about 80% of the beet after sugar extraction, was transformed into carbohydrates that trigger plants' natural immune responses. When tested on wheat, these compounds helped protect against fungal infections such as powdery mildew.

2. Composted coconuts help seedlings grow.

Coconut fibers broken down by millipedes may serve as a sustainable replacement for peat moss, a material commonly used to start seedlings but often sourced from fragile wetland ecosystems. A study published in ACS Omega explored this "millicompost" and found that, when combined with other plant materials, it supported the healthy growth of bell pepper seedlings as effectively as traditional peat-based mixes.

3. Radish leaves support gut health.

A review in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests that the often-discarded tops of radishes could be more nutritious than the roots themselves. These peppery greens contain abundant fiber and bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides and antioxidants. In lab and animal studies, they promoted the growth of beneficial gut microbes, hinting that they might also boost digestive health in humans.

4. Beet greens supply bioactive ingredients.

Research described in ACS Engineering Au outlines a way to preserve the powerful compounds extracted from beet leaves for use in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Scientists created microparticles by drying a mixture of antioxidant-rich beet-green extract with an edible biopolymer. The resulting encapsulated particles not only remained stable but also showed greater antioxidant activity than the uncoated extract, suggesting that this process helps protect the bioactive ingredients from degradation.


Story Source:

Materials provided by American Chemical Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal References:

  1. Camille Carton, Josip Šafran, Sangeetha Mohanaraj, Romain Roulard, Jean-Marc Domon, Solène Bassard, Natacha Facon, Benoît Tisserant, Gaelle Mongelard, Laurent Gutierrez, Béatrice Randoux, Maryline Magnin-Robert, Jérôme Pelloux, Corinne Pau-Roblot, Anissa Lounès-Hadj Sahraoui. Valorization of Sugar Beet Byproducts into Oligogalacturonides with Protective Activity against Wheat Powdery Mildew. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2025; 73 (38): 24237 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c05099[1]
  2. Luiz Fernando de Sousa Antunes, André Felipe de Sousa Vaz, Giulia da Costa Rodrigues dos Santos, Talita dos Santos Ferreira, Renata Rodrigues dos Santos, Renata dos Santos Alves, Jaqueline Carvalho de Almeida, Marco Antonio de Almeida Leal, Maria Elizabeth Fernandes Correia. Replacing Commercial Substrate with Millicompost: A Sustainable Approach Using Different Green Wastes Combined with Millicompost for Bell Pepper Seedling Production in Urban Agriculture. ACS Omega, 2025; 10 (37): 43129 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c06388[2]
  3. Wonchan Yoon, Miri Park, Guijae Yoo, Young-Soo Kim, Ho-Young Park. Bioactive Compounds and Health Benefits of Radish Greens. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2025; 73 (39): 24517 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c08263[3]
  4. Leonardo de Freitas Marinho, Stefania Mottola, Henrique Di Domenico Ziero, Larissa Castro Ampese, Mariarosa Scognamiglio, Iolanda De Marco, Ernesto Reverchon, Tânia Forster Carneiro. Evaluation of Microparticles Obtained from Beet Leaf Extracts (Beta vulgaris L.) Using Supercritical Assisted Atomization (SAA). ACS Engineering Au, 2025; DOI: 10.1021/acsengineeringau.5c00044[4]

Cite This Page:

American Chemical Society. "Scientists find gold hiding in food waste." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 October 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251011105518.htm>.

American Chemical Society. (2025, October 12). Scientists find gold hiding in food waste. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251011105518.htm

American Chemical Society. "Scientists find gold hiding in food waste." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251011105518.htm (accessed October 12, 2025).

RELATED STORIES


After Decades of Plantation Agriculture, Coconut Palms Dominate Over Half of Pacific Atoll Forests[5]

Dec. 4, 2024 — Coconut palms are king throughout the tropics, serving as the foundation for human lives and cultures across the Pacific Ocean for centuries. However, 200 years of planting by colonial interests ...

Understanding the Relationship Between Food Waste, Climate Change, and Aging Population[6]

Oct. 21, 2024 — Household food waste is an important contributor to global food loss and waste and greenhouse gas emissions, but not much is known about what types of food are wasted the most and by whom. Now, ...

Natural Selection Can Slow Evolution, Maintain Similarities Across Generations[7]

Aug. 23, 2023 — New research suggests that natural selection, famous for rewarding advantageous differences in organisms, can also preserve similarities. The researchers worked with a plant called wild radish and ...

Nanocarrier Spray: Better Crops Without Genetic Modification[8]

Feb. 23, 2022 — Researchers have developed a way to improve crop quality without needing to create special genetically modified plants. The new technique relies on a spray that introduces bioactive molecules into ...

Rising Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations Globally Affect Photosynthesis of Peat-Forming Mosses[9]

Jan. 13, 2022 — Scientists have developed ways to decipher effects of the CO2 rise during the past 100 years on metabolic fluxes of the key plant species in peatlands, mosses. Analyses of cellulose in peat cores ...

Coconut Tree Cloning Breakthrough Will Help Propagation and Preservation[10]

Sep. 15, 2021 — Coconut trees grow slowly and are difficult to clone. Scientists a multiplied seedlings faster and conserved coconut genetic resources for the long term. This will help preserve coconut tree ...

TRENDING AT SCITECHDAILY.com[11]


Is Dark Matter… Evolving? A New Theory To Solve the Universe’s Biggest Mystery[12]

How Easter Island’s Massive Moai Statues Actually “Walked” Themselves[13]

MIT Scientists Discover Amino Acid That Rejuvenates the Gut[14]

Safer Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment Provides Relief Without Surgery[15]

Read more …Scientists find gold hiding in food waste

How Older Adults Regain Happiness
Nearly one-quarter of older adults regained top well-being within three years, even after struggling. Emotional health, physical activity, and good sleep were strong predictors of recovery. Credit: Shutterstock

Almost one in four adults aged 60 and older who initially reported poor well-being managed to regain a state of optimal well-being within three years, according to research published on September 24, 2025, in PLOS One by Mabel Ho and Esme Fuller-Thomson of the University of Toronto, Canada. The findings emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through actions such as keeping a stable body weight, avoiding smoking, staying physically active, improving sleep, and preventing or managing chronic illnesses. The study also underscores the role of psychological, emotional, and social wellness in overall quality of life.

Interest in understanding what drives resilience and long-term well-being is growing. Many lifestyle choices can influence the ability to maintain good health and happiness, defined in this research as a combination of physical, psychological, emotional, social, and self-rated well-being, even in the presence of chronic conditions. However, only a small number of studies have focused on what helps people recover or regain a strong sense of well-being later in life after experiencing difficulty.

Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, Ho and Fuller-Thomson analyzed 8,332 adults who did not initially meet the criteria for optimal well-being and followed up with them three years later, when all participants were at least 60 years old.

They discovered that nearly one-quarter of these participants had achieved optimal well-being by the end of that period. Those who already showed signs of psychological and emotional wellness at the beginning were nearly five times more likely to recover full well-being than those who did not.

The likelihood of regaining well-being was also higher among participants who were younger (under 70 years old), married, and earning incomes above the poverty line. Better outcomes were linked to being physically active, not smoking, sleeping well, and avoiding chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, or osteoporosis.

Because all Canadian citizens and permanent residents have access to publicly funded healthcare, the researchers note that these results may not apply to countries where medical care depends on the ability to pay. They also caution that the findings may not extend to low- and middle-income nations.

If future research establishes that the associations observed in the current study are causal, policies and interventions that support physical, psychological, emotional, social, and self-rated wellness might help older adults to regain optimal well-being. For example, programs and services can be provided to encourage older adults to engage in an active and healthy lifestyle, to manage chronic conditions, and to prevent social isolation. According to the authors, these interventions might play an important role in enhancing older adults' resilience and enabling them to regain optimal well-being in later life.

"What's powerful about this research is the reminder that later life can still be fulfilling, even after difficult periods. Good health is important, but so are the people, meaning, and joy we have in our lives," says first author Mabel Ho, a recent doctoral graduate at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Institute of Life Course and Aging.

"This is a clear call to invest in prevention, financial stability, and accessible wellness supports -- because these aren't just smart policies, they can potentially improve the trajectory of aging for older adults who are struggling," says senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging and Professor at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.

Read more …How 1 in 4 older adults regain happiness after struggling

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term autoimmune condition that affects over 2.9 million people around the world. In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath, a protective layer that insulates nerve fibers. This damage interrupts communication between the brain and body, leading to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, vision problems, and paralysis.

Although existing treatments can help reduce inflammation, there are still no approved therapies that protect neurons or rebuild the damaged myelin sheath. Scientists have now made significant progress toward that goal with support from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Their work has led to the discovery of two compounds capable of promoting remyelination, the process of repairing the myelin coating on nerve fibers.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, was led by Seema Tiwari-Woodruff, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine, and John Katzenellenbogen, a professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The research was funded through two National MS Society initiatives: a standard investigator-initiated grant and the organization's Fast Forward program, which accelerates commercialization of promising research.

"Our work represents more than a decade of collaboration, with the last four years focused on identifying and optimizing new drug candidates that show strong potential to treat MS and possibly other neurological diseases involving demyelination," Tiwari-Woodruff said.

With this support, the team launched a drug development program that has since been licensed by Cadenza Bio, Inc. Backed by investor funding, the company has continued advancing the research and is preparing for clinical testing of what could become a first-of-its-kind treatment for people with MS.

From discovery to development

This new work builds on earlier studies involving a compound called indazole chloride, which had shown promise in promoting myelin repair and regulating immune responses in mouse models of MS. However, indazole chloride lacked the chemical properties and patent potential required for clinical and commercial use, Tiwari-Woodruff explained.

Working with UIUC chemists Katzenellenbogen and Sung Hoon Kim, who created new versions of the molecule, Tiwari-Woodruff's group, led by recent UC Riverside graduate Micah Feri, screened more than 60 analogs of indazole chloride. From this effort, they identified two standout candidates, K102 and K110. Both showed better safety, efficacy, and drug-like characteristics in tests using mice and human cells.

Among the two, K102 emerged as the leading candidate. It not only stimulated myelin repair but also helped regulate immune activity, a critical balance for MS therapies. The compound also performed well in human oligodendrocytes -- cells responsible for producing myelin -- derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, suggesting the results could translate effectively from animal studies to human disease.

Normally, oligodendrocyte precursor cells develop into mature myelin-producing cells that repair nerve insulation. In MS, this repair process often breaks down, leading to lasting nerve damage. A compound like K102 that can restore myelin could help improve nerve signal transmission and potentially limit long-term disability.

"K110 is also a strong candidate," Tiwari-Woodruff said. "It has slightly different central nervous system effects and may be better suited for other conditions like spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, so we're keeping it in the pipeline."

From bench to biotech

Tiwari-Woodruff and Katzenellenbogen credit the National MS Society's Fast Forward program as a turning point. Fast Forward accelerates the commercialization of promising therapies by promoting academic-industry partnerships. The highly competitive grant enabled Tiwari-Woodruff and Katzenellenbogen to generate sufficient data to license the rights to Cadenza Bio to develop K102 and K110. The patents are jointly held by UCR and UIUC, with an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement in place between the universities and Cadenza Bio.

"This project has been a good example of how long-standing academic collaborations can lead to real-world applications," Katzenellenbogen said. "Our shared goal was always to take a promising idea and develop it into a therapy that could help people with MS. We're finally getting close to that reality."

Initially, UCR's Office of Technology Partnerships collaborated with UIUC to seek patent protection. Grace Yee, assistant director of technology commercialization at UCR, said the joint efforts of UCR, UIUC, and the National MS Society advocated for and promoted the technology to investors and industry for commercial development.

"Our entrepreneurs-in-residence also helped advise the project, so the team was able to develop materials and messaging to highlight the project's commercial value," she said. "When investors expressed interest in the technology, UCR and UIUC helped them understand how the technology addresses an unmet need in treating MS. These efforts led to the licensing agreement with Cadenza Bio."

Elaine Hamm, chief operating officer at Cadenza Bio, said she and Carol Curtis, cofounder of Cadenza Bio, were impressed by the possibility of moving from slowing axon damage to repairing axon damage.

"This is the future we want to build," Hamm said. "It is why we licensed the technology, and why we are excited to move it forward to patients in need."

More than a decade in the making

Tiwari-Woodruff and Katzenellenbogen have worked together for more than 12 years. Tiwari-Woodruff's move from UCLA to UCR in 2014, she said, turned out to be a pivotal decision.

"The support from UCR -- from leadership to infrastructure -- has been extraordinary," Tiwari-Woodruff said. "None of this would've been possible without that backing. Funding for academic labs like mine and John's is crucial. This is selfless work, driven by a deep love of science and commitment to human health."

Though the initial focus is MS, the team believes K102 and K110 could eventually be applied to other diseases involving neuronal damage, including stroke and neurodegeneration.

Cadenza Bio is now advancing K102 through the necessary non-clinical studies required to support first-in-human clinical trials.

"We're hopeful that clinical trials can begin soon," said Tiwari-Woodruff. "It's been a long journey -- but this is what translational science is all about: turning discovery into real-world impact."

The research was also supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health and Cadenza Bio.

Tiwari-Woodruff, Katzenellenbogen, Kim, and Feri were joined in the research by Flavio D. Cardenas, Alyssa M. Anderson, Brandon T. Poole, Devang Deshpande, Shane Desfor, Kelley C. Atkinson, Stephanie R. Peterson, Moyinoluwa T. Ajayi, Fernando Beltran, Julio Tapia, and Martin I. Garcia-Castro of UCR; Kendall W. Nettles and Jerome C. Nwachukwu of The Scripps Research Institute, Florida; and David E. Martin and Curtis of Cadenza Bio, Oklahoma.

Read more …Breakthrough compounds may reverse nerve damage caused by multiple sclerosis

More Articles …