Microbial-based conversion of food waste for sustainable bioremediation and utilization as compost

Management of food waste is an alarming problem throughout the globe. Around 350 million tons of food waste are generated annually, of which about 60% come from households. The unscientific management of such a massive waste can have long-term deleterious effects on the environment, economy, and society. Landfills are the most common solution worldwide for food waste management. However, landfilling is highly damaging to the environment and poses a risk to human health and global climate. There are several alternatives to landfilling, and one of the potential alternatives is composting. Composting is undeniably a promising eco-friendly approach to managing food waste, promoting economic growth, and reducing our environmental footprint. The idea behind the review is to critically analyze the food waste composting, phases, and parameters affecting composting. It is concluded that composting is a potential benign biotechnique through which not only food waste can be sustainably managed, but it could be utilized as a cost-effective technique for promoting sustainable agriculture and remediation of environmental toxicants.