Vegetable Wastes: Availability and Utilization

Excerpts from the report: The Eastern Regional Research Laboratory has undertaken to find industrial uses for the waste incident to the commercial production and processing of vegetables. This waste, which occurs on the farm and at the packing shed and processing plant, consists essentially of the discarded culls, vines, leaves, tops or roots, trimmings and peelings. In addition, there is another large source of waste in the crops that are not harvested because of unsatisfactory quality, market conditions, and shortage of labor. No comprehensive collected information has been available on the quantity, kinds, location, and season of the various types of waste, although this information would constitute the necessary background for their commercial utilization. The data in this publication were assembled from widely scattered sources with the object of supplying this background information for the use of anyone considering the utilization of vegetable wastes. Present information on these wastes indicates that the leaves are by far the richest in valuable constituents. For this reason, this survey deals mainly with the leafy wastes. The outlook is most promising for the production of animal feeds, carotene, and chlorophyll from this material. Chlorophyll is used as a dye and is attracting attention as a constituent of therapeutic ointments. Carotene (provitamin A), which is sold for therapeutic and nutritive purposes, is now made from carrot roots. From the standpoint of abundance, occurrence in large concentrations, and nutritional value, the leafy wastes of the following vegetables seem to have the greatest promise, and therefore attention has been largely devoted to them. Beets – Carrots -- Lima beans – Turnips -- Broccoli --Cauliflower -- Peas – Spinach -- Cabbage -- Kale -- Rutabagas – Tomatoes.