Final Report Summary - BIOACTIVE-NET (Assessment and dissemination of strategies for the extraction of BIOACTIVE-NET compounds from tomato, olive and grape processing residues)
Cultivation of tomatoes, olives and grapes are major agricultural sectors in southern Europe. As more than 80 % of these products are being further processed into food products, the industry is faced with the problem of residue disposal. Despite the exhaustive research activity on proper handling and re-utilisation of processing residues of the European Commission (Fifth and Sixth Framework Programme - FP5 and FP6), no generalised valorisation has been implemented in Europe yet.
Processing residues obtained from the production of tomato products, olive oil, and grape juice/wine are still rich sources of bioactive compounds: high-valuable oils, dietary fibre, vitamins and several secondary plant constituents are interesting food additives (i.e. colorants, antioxidants) or cosmetic ingredients. The extraction and purification of the bioactive compounds from very cheap and reliable raw materials can pose an alternative prospect for a profitable utilisation of processing residues and can, in parallel, enhance allocation of natural ingredients on the European market.
Therefore the primary objective of BIOACTIVE-NET was to assess and disseminate to the SME processors, strategies for the extraction of bioactive compounds from tomato, olive, and grape processing residues.
A number of aims and milestones of the project were achieved, including:
- creation of a broad information platform regarding the extraction of bioactive compounds from tomato, olive, and grape processing residues as well as their application facilities in the food and cosmetic industry;
- implementation of dissemination workshops in the south European countries (Spain, Italy, Greece and France) aimed at transferring know-how and evaluating economic feasibilities of the extraction of bioactive compounds to the residue generating companies (SMEs), to the technology providers, to the industrial residue extractors and to the end-users of the respective natural ingredients;
- strengthening of the European market on natural ingredients, which has an enormous economic potential due to high availability of the raw materials;
- increase of the competitiveness of the European food industry by pre-empting the competition in the use of bio-active compounds derived from natural, renewable and economic source processing residue;
- increase of the use of bio-active compounds in the European diet.
Another outcome was an assessment of research results in order to select the best available technologies (BATs) for the extraction and purification of bioactive compounds from tomato, olive and grape processing residues. Workshops were also held on the valuable bioactive compounds in tomato, olive and gape processing residues, the BATs for the extraction and purification of the bioactive compounds, the application fields for the bioactive substances and the economic feasibility of the implementation of the BATs.
Broad dissemination of the BIOACTIVE-NET results were also achieved via multiple media avenues, amongst them a Bioactive-net manual and a multilingual project website as main dissemination and communication tool with public as well as restricted areas for partner exchange and concerted involvement of stakeholders.
Processing residues obtained from the production of tomato products, olive oil, and grape juice/wine are still rich sources of bioactive compounds: high-valuable oils, dietary fibre, vitamins and several secondary plant constituents are interesting food additives (i.e. colorants, antioxidants) or cosmetic ingredients. The extraction and purification of the bioactive compounds from very cheap and reliable raw materials can pose an alternative prospect for a profitable utilisation of processing residues and can, in parallel, enhance allocation of natural ingredients on the European market.
Therefore the primary objective of BIOACTIVE-NET was to assess and disseminate to the SME processors, strategies for the extraction of bioactive compounds from tomato, olive, and grape processing residues.
A number of aims and milestones of the project were achieved, including:
- creation of a broad information platform regarding the extraction of bioactive compounds from tomato, olive, and grape processing residues as well as their application facilities in the food and cosmetic industry;
- implementation of dissemination workshops in the south European countries (Spain, Italy, Greece and France) aimed at transferring know-how and evaluating economic feasibilities of the extraction of bioactive compounds to the residue generating companies (SMEs), to the technology providers, to the industrial residue extractors and to the end-users of the respective natural ingredients;
- strengthening of the European market on natural ingredients, which has an enormous economic potential due to high availability of the raw materials;
- increase of the competitiveness of the European food industry by pre-empting the competition in the use of bio-active compounds derived from natural, renewable and economic source processing residue;
- increase of the use of bio-active compounds in the European diet.
Another outcome was an assessment of research results in order to select the best available technologies (BATs) for the extraction and purification of bioactive compounds from tomato, olive and grape processing residues. Workshops were also held on the valuable bioactive compounds in tomato, olive and gape processing residues, the BATs for the extraction and purification of the bioactive compounds, the application fields for the bioactive substances and the economic feasibility of the implementation of the BATs.
Broad dissemination of the BIOACTIVE-NET results were also achieved via multiple media avenues, amongst them a Bioactive-net manual and a multilingual project website as main dissemination and communication tool with public as well as restricted areas for partner exchange and concerted involvement of stakeholders.
