Sustainability is a major challenge for global food systems, particularly in the context of food loss and waste. Approximately one-third of food produced worldwide (1.3 billion tons annually) is lost or wasted, contributing to 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with a large share occurring during post-harvest handling and food processing. These stages generate by-products such as shells, skins, pulp, stems, and seeds, which can account for 30–50% of raw materials. Although often discarded, these residues are rich in valuable bioactive compounds, including phenolics, peptides, carotenoids, fibers, secondary metabolites, minerals, amino acids, and vitamins. This review emphasizes the valorization of agrifood by-products as a pathway toward sustainability and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It encompasses extraction methods, characterization, and potential uses of such active compounds in the food, pharmaceutical, packaging, and cosmetic sectors. Moreover, it examines the interaction between valuing agrifood by-products and key SDGs like eliminating hunger (SDG 2), ensuring good health and well-being (SDG 3), promoting affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), promoting economic growth and decent work (SDG 8), ensuring responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and tackling climate action (SDG 13). These approaches have high potential to improve food security and economic sustainability of the world’s food systems.

The current study aimed to determination of cytotoxicity, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hemolytic, and anticoagulant activities of phenolic compounds extracted from olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) issue from the cold extraction of olive oil from Khenchela eastern in Algeria. The LC–MS (liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry) results were revealed the presence of 20 phenolic compounds in the extract of OMW and mostly consisted of Kaempferol, 4,5-di-O-caffeoyquinic acid, quinic acid, and caffeic acid. The extracts possessed effective reducing power (FRAP) and high radical scavenging activity against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS + (2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) free radicals, and it inhibited cytochrome c reduction in a dose-dependent manner. They exert a protective effect on red blood cells, and they were found to exhibit the highest inhibitory effect anti-inflammatory activity using inhibition of protein denaturation (IPD) and membrane stabilizing potential (MSP) tests (80.46 ± 3.81 µg/mL and 87.43 ± 0.66 µg/mL) more than the standard used. The extract also showed the greatest anticoagulant activity in both the endogenous and exogenous routes (44.77 ± 0.25 s and 15.84 ± 0.12 s, respectively). Based on these findings, it is reasonable to infer that OMW is a good source of natural phenolic compounds with potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant properties.

Peptic ulcer disease remains a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder worldwide. Current treatments often have limitations, sparking interest in alternative therapies from medicinal plants. This review examines the gastroprotective potential of 54 North African medicinal plants against peptic ulcers. An extensive literature search was conducted, focusing on plants with preclinical and clinical evidence of anti‐ulcer efficacy and documented use in North African traditional medicine. The review identified several promising plant species, such as licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ), chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla ), olive ( Olea europaea ), pomegranate ( Punica granatum ), Aloe vera, and black seed ( Nigella sativa ), along with their bioactive constituents, including flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids. These compounds exhibit gastroprotective properties through multiple mechanisms, such as enhancing the gastric mucosal barrier, inhibiting acid secretion, displaying antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects, promoting ulcer healing, and combating Helicobacter pylori infection. The evidence presented includes in vitro assays, animal models, and some clinical studies. While many of the 53 plants reviewed demonstrated significant anti‐ulcer effects compared to standard drugs, further clinical research is needed to establish efficacy and safety in humans. The synergistic actions of phytochemical mixtures in medicinal plant extracts likely contribute to their therapeutic potential. This review highlights the role these North African medicinal plants may play in the prevention and treatment of peptic ulcers and identifies promising candidates for further research and development of evidence‐based botanical therapies.

Olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) is a by-product of the olive oil industry. It is very polluting and causes serious environmental problems, but is very loaded with polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power. This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the anti-inflammatory potential of the phenolic extract of OMW from two varieties, Chemlal and Zlitni, extracted from a modern olive mill located in Khenchela, eastern Algeria. The maceration method did the extraction of the polyphenols. The dosage of total polyphenols and flavonoids content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum trichloride methods successively. Two tests made the anti-inflammatory activity, inhibition of protein denaturation (IPD) and membrane-stabilizing potential (MSP), comparing with sodium diclofenac. The results obtained showed that the phenolic extract of OMW of Chemlal was found to exhibit the highest inhibitory effect anti-inflammatory activity (IPD: IC50 = 91.27 ± 2.73 µg/mL, and MSP: IC50=98.41 ± 1.22 µg/mL) more than the phenolic extract of Zlitni and the standard used (sodium iclofenac). The in vitro assays carried out show that the phenolic extract of OMW has an important source of natural anti-inflammatory agents, which can be used in the pharmaceutical industry and on the other hand reducing its dangerous impact on the environment.