The management of waste cooking oil is an emerging environmental and industrial
challenge due to its large-scale generation and improper disposal. Improper
handling contributes to water and soil pollution and poses human health risks.
Recent biotechnological advances, however, have opened avenues for transforming
recycled cooking oil into valuable products, including biofuels, bioplastics, and
specialty chemicals. Enzymatic transesterification, microbial fermentation, and
metabolic engineering have been employed to maximize yield and sustainability.
Despite these advancements, challenges such as feedstock heterogeneity, high
free fatty acid content, and scalability remain. This commentary highlights current
trends in the biotechnological valorization of waste cooking oil, its environmental
and economic implications, and future directions for sustainable utilization.