Beetroot (Beta vulgaris), a root vegetable known for its vivid natural color and nutritional profile, is a source of a wide range of bioactive compounds, including betalains, phenolics, vitamins, and antioxidants. These bioactive compounds are associated with many health-promoting properties, including antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. The beetroot processing industry produces substantial by-products abundant in phytochemicals and betalains, presenting valuable opportunities for utilization. Therefore, it can replace synthetic additives and enhance the nutritional value of foods. By reducing waste and supporting a circular economy, beetroot by-products improve resource efficiency, cut production costs, and lessen the food industry’s environmental impact. Beetroot and its by-products are rich in phytochemicals that provide various wellness advantages. They support cardiovascular health, inhibit microbe-induced food spoiling, aid liver function, and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. This paper presents a detailed review of current knowledge on beetroot and its by-products, focusing on their biochemical components, extraction and stabilization techniques, health benefits, and potential applications in the food industry. It underscores the versatility and importance of red beetroot and its derivatives, advocating for further research into optimized processing methods and innovative uses to enhance their industrial and nutritional value. By providing valuable insights, this review aims to inspire food scientists, nutritionists, and the agricultural sector to integrate beetroot and its by-products into more sustainable and health-oriented food systems.

Researchers and food manufacturers are investigating the use of fruit and vegetable by-products as nutrient-dense food ingredients in response to increasing consumer requests for healthier and more natural foods. Black carrot (Daucus carota L.), a root vegetable variety of deep purple carrot, is a valuable source of nutrients with excellent health benefits and nutraceutical effects. Black carrot pomace (BCP), a by-product of industrial juice extraction, is abundant in bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and pigments such as anthocyanins. Value addition and sustainability are perspectives provided by using this underutilized agricultural by-product in food applications. With an emphasis on BCP powder’s effects on phytochemical and physicochemical qualities, mineral and color characteristics, and sensory aspects, this study aims to assess the effects of adding BCP powder to yogurt formulations. The findings show that the addition of BCP powder improved the nutritional, and the color of the yogurts, providing a visually appealing product. Moreover, adding the BCP powder raised the amount of phytochemicals and the antioxidant activity in the final product’s formulation. The manufacturing of such products can not only aid in promoting sustainable food production but also offer consumers a wider range of innovative food options with improved properties.

Tillage practices govern crop quality and quantity through soil nutrient availability and crop root systems. A deeper knowledge of the impact of conservation tillage on soil chemical characteristics (such as pH, soil organic carbon, macro and micronutrient storage and distribution) is required for both the promotion of agricultural sustainability and environmental preservation. This study assesses the changes in soil features and properties in the context of a long-field experiment with different tillage systems and straw management practices. Research findings revealed that compared with conventional tillage (CT) conservative tillage with partial straw retention (MT) and no-tillage with straw mulching (NT) substantially boosted the organic carbon (OC) (by 6–19%), total nitrogen (TN) (by 2–12%), and available potassium content (AK) (by 2–5%), in 0–30 cm soil depth. However, the stratification trend was observed for available macro and micronutrient content (Zn, Fe, Mn) in both conservative management practices. The concentration of Cu indicates a constant pattern through a 0–30 cm soil profile with a higher concentration under MT (1.41 mg kg⁻¹) compared to NT (1.10 mg kg⁻¹). In particular, the results failed to establish if conservation tillage can increase the total phosphorus (TP) and potassium content (TK), where only in surface 0–10 cm an increase was observed. This research also suggested that the X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) of total micronutrient content (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn) is minimal or unpredictable with no substantial differences between the tillage systems and straw return management practices. These findings suggest that conservation tillage in north-eastern Romania might be optimal to maintain soil quality status and sustain high yields.

Environmental protection, global food security, and nutritional quality are critical issues for worldwide sustainable development. Plums (Prunus domestica L.), well-known for their rich nutritional content and distinct phytochemical profile, have received increased attention due to their potential health benefits. The present study evaluates the ecological and conventional management systems of quality parameters in three plum varieties—Tuleu Gras, Record, and Centenar—and establishes suitable practices to improve fruit quality and yields. The fruit morphometric features (color, firmness, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, and total sugar) were analyzed during their raw fruit state, while different fruit-sample extracts were assessed for phytochemical compounds and heavy metal concentrations, specifically, zinc, copper, nickel, and cadmium. The results show a wide variability in the examined characteristics among management practices that differentially accumulated throughout the ripening phase and significantly influenced the nutritional value of the plum fruit. The application of an ecological management practice yielded small plum fruits (38 g) and maintained a more consistent and vigorous fruit color compared with the conventional system (83 g). Moreover, ecological plums have higher antioxidant activities, total polyphenols, and flavonoids (21.70–25.54 µM Trolox/g of dw, 3.89–7.76 mg GAE/ g of dw, and 1.45–3.65 mg CE/g of dw, respectively). Among the content of metals in the plum fruit, copper exhibited the highest concentrations (0.83–1.21 mg/kg), while cadmium was detected at the lowest levels (0.006–0.009 mg/kg). The potential health implications of heavy metals, by calculating their estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI), for both adults and children were also analyzed. The EDI values of accumulated elements in the plum fruits followed the order of Cu > Zn > Ni > Cd with no concern for human health (THQ and HI < 1). According to this study’s findings, fruit quality parameters are significantly higher in ecological plums, providing a compelling argument for adopting sustainable agricultural practices. These results highlight the importance of selecting sustainable agricultural practices, not only to safeguard the environment but also to ensure high-quality products suitable for human consumption.

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.

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) has proven to be a green method in the agricultural field for the stimulation of germination, growth, and production of nutraceutical compounds in some cases. However, the process is far from being fully understood and depends on the targeted plant species and the NTP used. In this work, we focus on the production of alfalfa sprouts from NTP-treated seeds under different voltage conditions. A flexible electrode configuration was used to produce the NTP, which can also be placed on packages for in-package treatments. The surface of the seeds was analyzed, indicating that the microstructure was strongly affected by NTP treatment. Biometric measurements evidenced the possibility of stimulating the sprout growth in some conditions by up to 50% compared to the sprouts obtained from untreated seeds. Biochemical traits for the sprouts obtained in different processing conditions were also studied, such as the concentrations of chlorophyll pigments, flavonoids and polyphenols, and antioxidant activity. Most NTP treatments led to inhibitory effects, proving the strong dependence between NTP treatment and targeted plant species.