Sustainable Kernel Utilization Chemistry, Processing, Health Functionality, and Bio-Economy

About the Editors
Contributors
Preface

1 Overview of Waste Utilization of Food and Agro-Waste: Rational, Valorization, Applications, and Bio-Economy
Mahya Soltani, Samira Shokri, and Yeganeh Mazaheri

2 Prunes Fruit Processing Techniques
Nizwa Itrat, Javaria Shabbir, Aisha Siddique, Maryam Narjis, Sadia Usman, and Fawad Ali

3 Prunus Fruit Processing Wastes and Byproducts
Mohd Aaqib Sheikh, Naseer Ahmed, Tawseefa Jan, Imran Sheikh, and Rajvinder Kour, and Seerat Sharma

4 Plum (Prunus domestica L.) Kernel: Processing, Characterization, and Utilization
Mohd Aaqib Sheikh, Mohd Khalid Gul, Nisar Ahmad Mir, and Naseer Ahmed

5 Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) Kernel: Processing, Characterization, and Utilization
Mohd Aaqib Sheikh, Tawseefa Jan, Mohd Khalid Gul, Naseer Ahmed, Nisar Ahmad Mir, and Imran Sheikh

6 Peach (Prunus persica) Kernel: Processing, Characterization, and Utilization
Rajvinder Kour, Seerat Sharma, Tawseefa Jan, Imran Sheikh, Mohd Aaqib Sheikh, and Naseer Ahmed

7 Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) Kernel: Processing, Characterization, and Utilization
Tawseefa Jan, Rajvinder Kour, Seerat Sharma, Mohd Aaqib Sheikh, Imran Sheikh, and Naseer Ahmed

8 Almond (Prunus dulcis) Kernel: Processing, Characterization, and Utilization
Yeganeh Mazaheri, Nabi Shariatifar, and Masoud Sami

9 Cherry (Prunus avium) Kernels: Processing, Characterization, and Utilization
Reza Abedi-Firoozjah, Mahshid Bahraminejad, Delara Moradi Mirhesari, Neshat Ahmadi, Fatemeh Madanifar, and Milad Tavassoli

10 Blackthorn or Sloe (Prunus spinosa) Kernels: Processing, Characterization, and Utilization
Imran Sheikh, Mohammad Ubaid, Naseer Ahmed, VarRuchi Sharma, Vishal Chugh, and Mohd Aaqib Sheikh

11 Sour Cherry and Its Kernels: From Cultivation to Health and Industrial Applications
Yeganeh Mazaheri, Samira Shokri, and Parisa Sadighara

12 Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) Kernels: Processing, Characterization, and Utilization
Nizwa Itrat, Sadia Usman, Maryam Narjis, and Rabiya Saroosh

13 Sustainability, Processing Challenges, and Cost-Effectiveness of Prunus Processing Wastes
Sandip Sanjay Gite, Aditya Kashyap, and Chandrakant Genu Dalbhagat

14 Circular Economy Approaches in Prunus Stone Utilization
Jovana Pantic´, Danijela Šuput, Nevena Hromiš, and Senka Popovic´

Index

Biography

Dr. Mohd Aaqib Sheikh (M.Tech., Ph.D.) is currently serving as Assistant Professor at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, Punjab, India. He holds a Ph.D. in Food Engineering and Technology and an M.Tech. in Food Process Engineering, establishing a strong academic foundation in food science and process engineering. He further advanced his research training through a National Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha. Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Sheikh served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Technology at Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, where he contributed to teaching, research, and academic development. His work has been recognized through competitive national fellowships, including the National Post-Doctoral Fellowship from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Government of India, and the Senior Research Fellowship awarded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. These distinctions reflect his contributions to research in food science, particularly in the area of sustainable plant-based systems. Dr. Sheikh’s research focuses on key areas within contemporary food science, including agro-waste utilization, detoxification of industrial by-products, extraction and functional modification of plant proteins, product development, and biodegradable packaging materials. His work is directed toward improving resource efficiency and supporting sustainable food systems. He has authored 30 research and review articles in peer-reviewed journals and contributed 13 book chapters published by Elsevier, CRC Press, and Springer. In addition, he serves as a reviewer for several scientific journals, contributing to the evaluation and dissemination of scholarly research.

Dr. Nisar Ahmad Mir (M.Tech., Ph.D.) received his Ph.D. from the Department of Food Engineering and Technology, Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (Deemed to Be University, under the Ministry of Education, Government of India). Currently, he is an assistant professor in the Department of Food Technology, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Jammu & Kashmir. He received a National Post-Doctoral Fellowship from the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. His research interests focus on cereal and pseudocereal protein characterization, modification, and their applications in food systems. He has published more than 20 research and review articles. He has also published more than 15 book chapters with publishers, including Apple Academic Press, Springer, and Elsevier. He is also serving as a reviewer for journals such as Trends in Food Science and Technology, Food Hydrocolloids, Food Chemistry, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Heliyon, Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Journal of Food Process Engineering, and International Journal of Food Properties.

Dr. Mohd Khalid Gul (M.Tech., Ph.D.) works as an academic visiting researcher at the School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom. His primary affiliation is with the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India, where he works as an assistant professor in food process engineering. Khalid has worked in various positions in the past, including as a post-doctoral fellow at Gyeongsang National University in South Korea and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, as an assistant professor at the Islamic University of Science and Technology in Awantipora, India, and with Coca-Cola India. His work spans academic institutions and industries located in India, South Korea, China, and the United Kingdom. His research interests include investigating the different aspects of food colloids, such as their functionalities and modifications, sensory-satiety relationships, interactions between proteins and polysaccharides, encapsulation, and food safety. To date, Khalid has published over 62 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He is part of the editorial board for Food Packaging and Shelf Life and is Associate Editor for Frontiers in Nutrition—Food Science.