Sustainable utilization of corn waste and their role toward the circular economy

Corn is one of the most widely cultivated cereal crops globally. Its processing generates enormous amounts of agricultural residues, such as corn husk, corn cob, and corn silk. These by-products exhibit immense potential for value addition in the circular economy. However, these are often discarded or underutilized. This review deals with sustainable and innovative approaches for the effective utilization of different corn waste materials, emphasizing their constituents and applications. The advancement in technology, enables the transformation and value addition of corn waste residues into sustainable eco-friendly biomaterials, such as bioplastics, bioethanol, activated carbons, fiber, and bioactive compounds, contributing to the goal of the circular economy. The challenges, policy framework, and future perspectives of the sustainable utilization of corn waste materials are also discussed. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of corn waste valorization strategies and their transformative role in promoting a circular bioeconomy.