Plant agro-food by-products as functional additives in dairy products: a review

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on food waste and by-products, primarily due to the diminishing availability of food resources and the detrimental ecological impact of contemporary production and consumption practices. This focus applies to a wide range of foodstuffs, including dairy products, of which cheese is a particularly popular and widely consumed item on a global scale. Consequently, cheese and other dairy products can serve as effective vehicles for the valorization of food waste and by-products. The incorporation of plant by-products into yogurt and cheese formulations has been shown to enhance yield, water retention, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity, although effects on texture may vary. This review focuses on opportunities to valorize various food waste streams in the dairy sector, especially in cheese and yogurt. Furthermore, it emphasizes the significance of recovered bioactive, added-value compounds in enhancing the nutritional, technological, and sensory properties of dairy products. It is hypothesized that food waste, with a focus on tomato and carob by-products, could be utilized in the future to enhance the functionality of dairy products.