Multi-pathway resource recovery from food waste via hydrolysis with compound enzymes： current progress and future perspectives

LIU Yu; AN Lei; ZHANG Xiaoyuan; WANG Zhiqiang; WAN Junfeng; WANG Qunhui

doi:10.13205/j.hjgc.202510001

Volume 43 Issue 10

Oct. 2025

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LIU Yu, AN Lei, ZHANG Xiaoyuan, WANG Zhiqiang, WAN Junfeng, WANG Qunhui. Multi-pathway resource recovery from food waste via hydrolysis with compound enzymes： current progress and future perspectives[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(10): 1-13. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202510001

Citation:

LIU Yu, AN Lei, ZHANG Xiaoyuan, WANG Zhiqiang, WAN Junfeng, WANG Qunhui. Multi-pathway resource recovery from food waste via hydrolysis with compound enzymes： current progress and future perspectives[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(10): 1-13. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202510001

Citation:

LIU Yu, AN Lei, ZHANG Xiaoyuan, WANG Zhiqiang, WAN Junfeng, WANG Qunhui. Multi-pathway resource recovery from food waste via hydrolysis with compound enzymes： current progress and future perspectives[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(10): 1-13. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202510001

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Multi-pathway resource recovery from food waste via hydrolysis with compound enzymes： current progress and future perspectives

doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202510001

1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China;
2. School of Ecology and Environment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
3. School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China

Received Date: 2025-10-04
Accepted Date: 2025-10-15
Rev Recd Date: 2025-10-10

Available Online: 2025-12-03

Publish Date: 2025-10-01

Abstract

Abstract

Beyond disposal， the dual goals of efficient volume reduction and high-value resource recovery have emerged as central priorities in FW treatment. Conventional approaches， e.g.， incineration， composting， have partially addressed the problem but often failed to achieve an optimal balance among treatment efficiency， operational cost， and environmental sustainability， indicating the urgent need for innovative， low-cost， and environmentally friendly resource recovery technologies. Within this context， hydrolysis has been recognized as a critical step for enhancing the conversion efficiency of organic matter and unlocking the resource potential of FW. However， traditional physical and chemical hydrolysis methods are energy-intensive and prone to secondary pollution. In contrast， enzymatic hydrolysis has attracted increasing attention for its high conversion efficiency， mild reaction conditions， and smaller environmental footprint. Given the compositional complexity of FW， efficient and targeted hydrolysis of FW requires the synergistic action of multiple enzymes （e.g.， amylases， proteases， lipases）. Yet， the high cost of commercial enzyme preparations remains a key barrier to large-scale adoption. To address this challenge， in situ production of compound enzymes using FW itself as a substrate has emerged as a promising approach， which not only reduces enzyme costs but also improves overall resource recovery efficiency. This review synthesizes recent advances in enzymatic technologies for FW treatment， with a particular focus on strategies for production and composition optimization of compound enzymes. It also examines the engineering feasibility of co-treatment of FW with excess sludge， organic fertilizer production， and bio-fermentation， alongside evaluation of techno-economic performance. In addition， the potential for retrofitting existing FW treatment facilities to incorporate enzymatic hydrolysis， and the prospects for synergistic treatment with excess sludge， are critically assessed. Finally， future research directions are highlighted， including enzyme performance enhancement， development of next-generation bioreactors， integration of artificial intelligence for process optimization and control. These together will accelerate the scale-up and systematic deployment of enzyme-based FW valorization technologies， contributing to a low-carbon， cost-effective， and circular paradigm for urban waste management.
- food waste,
- enzymatic hydrolysis,
- compound enzymes,
- in situ production,
- resource recovery

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References(77)

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