The rational design of functional and sustainable polymers is central to addressing global environmental challenges. In this context, unmodified lignin derived from Sarkanda grass (Tripidium bengalense), an abundant agro-industrial lignocellulosic byproduct, was systematically investigated as a natural polymeric adsorbent for the remediation of aqueous media contaminated with heavy metals. The study evaluates lignin’s behavior toward nine metal(loid) ions: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, nickel, lead, and zinc. Adsorption performance was systematically investigated under static batch conditions, optimizing key parameters, with equilibrium and kinetic data modeled using established isotherms and rate equations. Surface characterization and seed germination bioassays provided supporting evidence. Unmodified Sarkanda grass lignin demonstrated effective adsorption, exhibiting a clear preference for Cu(II) followed by other divalent cations, with lower capacities for As(III) and Cr(VI). Adsorption kinetics consistently followed a pseudo-second-order model, indicating chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. Thermodynamic studies revealed spontaneous and endothermic processes. Bioassays confirmed significant reduction in aqueous toxicity and strong metal sequestration. This work positions unmodified Sarkanda grass lignin as a bio-based, low-cost polymer platform for emerging water treatment technologies, contributing to circular bioeconomy goals and highlighting the potential of natural polymers in sustainable materials design.

Pumpkin, a nutritious and economical product with health benefits, is harvested worldwide. This study investigates the feasibility of incorporating fiber-, carotenoid-, and mineral-rich pumpkin pomace powder (PPP), a by-product of pumpkin processing, into whey cheese to enhance its nutritional profile without affecting consumer acceptability. The cheese was enhanced with varying concentrations of PPP (3% and 6%), and each variant was analyzed for its nutritional content, minerals, phytochemicals, color, and sensory properties. The results demonstrate that PPP addition increased the phytochemicals (45.44–82.83 mg GAE/100 g dw) and antioxidant activity (470.25–977.41 µmol TE/g dw) of the enriched cheese. The findings show that the addition of PPP improved the nutritional, color, and minerals of the enhanced whey cheese. The sensory evaluation indicates that with up to a 3% addition of PPP, the obtained cheese was well-received by consumers, who appreciated the subtle changes in flavor and the enhanced color of the product. The structural analysis reveals that including PPP improved the moisture retention of the cheese, contributing to a creamier texture, which is a desirable attribute in cheese. The study concludes that PPP can be effectively used to enrich cheese, offering a phytochemical-enriched cheese that caters to health-conscious consumers while also addressing the issue of food waste in the pumpkin processing industry.

Increasing interest is being devoted to innovative food products enriched with fruits and vegetables to enhance the nutritional and bioactive properties from the perspective of sustainable management. The addition (10, 15, and 20%) of blueberry fruits derived from two spontaneous flora varieties from the Rarău (G) and Ciocănești (C) mountains (Romania) into ‘French’ bread resulted in increased maximum breaking strength and mechanical work in spherical dough up to 10 and 15% in variety G, and deformation strength up to 20% integration; the untreated control displayed the highest values in the strips of dough. The 20% incorporation of both blueberry varieties in bread enhanced total, open, and closed porosity, maximum strength, gummosity, and chewiness, as well as titratable acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity. Resilience and pH showed the highest levels in the untreated bread, which also exhibited the highest values of the color components ‘L’, ‘a’, and ‘b’ in both the bread crust and crumb. The untreated control showed the highest scores for some sensory features, and in most cases, an increasing trend with the fruit integration rising from 10 to 20% was recorded. The addition of blueberries represents an interesting strategy for creating bread as an innovative functional food under sustainable supply chain management.

In light of the growing concerns of consumers who are increasingly turning towards healthier food options, both researchers and producers in the food industry are exploring the use of agro-industrial by-products as nutritionally valuable ingredients. This strategy not only enables the development of value-added food products, but also supports sustainability through the valorization of waste. Blackcurrant pomace (BP), a by-product obtained after juice extraction, has been shown to be rich in bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and anthocyanin pigments. For these reasons, the innovative aspect of the study was its use of different proportions of BP powder, 5%, 10%, and 15%, when obtaining new varieties of stirred yogurt. This study assesses the impact of BP powder on the stirred yogurt’s antioxidant content, physicochemical properties, color, microbiological characteristics, and sensory qualities. The findings showed that BP powder intensified the yogurts’ coloration and considerably improved their antioxidant activity (which ranged from 8.21 ± 0.35 to 21.15 ± 0.49 µmol TE/g DM) and nutritional quality. The panelists’ positive acceptance was confirmed by sensory evaluation, and the 10% BP formulation (DBBP2) was rated as the most favorable. These results show that BP is a valuable ingredient for enhancing dairy products, creating nutritious, appealing yogurts while promoting sustainable food production and valorization of food waste.

The addition of sea buckthorn(Hippophae rhamnoides L.) fruits as well as their extracted juice or, even more interestingly, related by-products into chocolate results in manufacturing an innovative functional food rich in bioactive substances. Thirteen treatments derived from the factorial combination of three types of H. rhamnoides materials (total fruit powder; fruit by-product powder; and fruit juice) and four concentrations (10%, 15%, 20% and 25%), plus an untreated control, were compared in terms of texture, quality, colour, antioxidant, mineral and sensorial properties of white chocolate. The untreated control showed the highest values of most of the texture parameters, as well as of pH, dry matter, soluble solids and colour component ‘L’. The colour component ‘b’ was best influenced by the 10% by-product addition to chocolate, whereas mineral substances, ash and colour component ‘a’ augmented with the increasing concentration of added H. rhamnoides materials. Compared to the untreated control, protein and fat contents in chocolate decreased with the rising added concentration of sea buckthorn fruit juice but showed the opposite trend under the integration of the whole fruit and its by-products. The antioxidant compounds and activity increased from the untreated chocolate to the highest concentration of added sea buckthorn materials. The juice addition to the chocolate best affected vitamin C, total carotenoids, β-carotene and lycopene, whereas the whole fruit integration led to the top levels of flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidant activity. Potassium and zinc contents decreased from the untreated control to the highest H. rhamnoides material addition, whereas opposite trends were shown by calcium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus. The integration of H. rhamnoides fruit materials into chocolate presents a valuable strategy to produce innovative health beneficial functional food.

The addition of sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) fruits as well as their extracted juice or related by-products into chocolate results in manufacturing an innovative func-tional food rich in bioactive substances. The effects of twelve treatments derived from the factorial combination of three types of H. rhamnoides materials (total fruit powder; fruit by-product powder; fruit juice), plus an untreated control, and four concentrations (10 %, 15 %, 20 %, and 25 %), were assessed on rheological, quality, colour, antioxidant, mineral and sensorial properties of white chocolate. The untreated control showed the highest values of rheological parameters, except for adhesiveness and cohesion, as well as of pH, dry matter, soluble solids and colour component ‘L’. The colour component ‘b’ was best influenced by the 10% by-product addition to chocolate, whereas mineral substances, ash and colour component ‘a’ augmented with increasing concentration of added H. rhamnoides materials. Compared to the untreated control, protein and fat contents in chocolate showed decreasing values with rising the added concentration of sea buckthorn fruit juice, and opposite trend under the integration of the whole fruit and its by-products. The anti-oxidant compounds and activity attained the lowest values in the untreated chocolate and increasing levels with rising concentration of added sea buckthorn materials. The juice addition to chocolate led to the highest contents of vitamin C, total carotenoids, β-carotene and lycopene, whereas the whole fruit integration fostered the top levels of flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidant activity. Potassium and zinc contents were the highest in the untreated control and decreased with rising the H. rhamnoides material addition, whereas opposite trends were shown by calcium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus, which in-creased with rising the sea buckthorn material addition. The integration of H. rhamnoides fruit materials into chocolate represents a valuable strategy to produce innovative health beneficial functional food.