The valorization of food wastes is a challenging opportunity for the green, sustainable, and competitive development of a country. The interest of agri-food companies in applying a circular economy strategy is driven by the need to minimize external inputs and by the interest in valorizing both co- and by-products. In this frame, the valorization of by-products represents a virtuous model for the application of a circular economy system and contribute to the competitiveness of agri-food chain, for reducing environmental impact, recovering income by new products with medium and high added value. In addition, to design a business plan aimed at producing and marketing innovative products, it is necessary to consider various orders of factors associated to the economical and industrial profiles of the territory in which the company operates. Olive oil production is considered one of the major agro-industrial activities in the Mediterranean countries and it is associated with the generation of a large volume of by-products, already demonstrated as a rich source of bioactive molecules. In fact, despite the high concentration of phenolic compounds in olive fruits, only the 2 % of the initial concentration is found in extra virgin olive oil, while the remaining fraction is mainly concentrated in liquid and solid by-products. The bioactive compounds, namely phenols, are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic activities, and their beneficial properties are already recognized by EFSA. The present PhD project aims at the valorization of olive mill wastewater and pâté olive cake for the formulation of new foods, beverages and natural additives rich in bioactive compounds with high nutraceutical value. The choice of the followed approaches, from the filtration techniques to the application of selected microbial pools, was motivated by the requirement of a prompt industrial scale-up and by the awareness that microbial sources represents a driver of innovation in the food system, to reduce the use of chemicals and to enhance new properties in an eco-friendly way. The results showed that both by-products are relevant matrices to be used in food industry as such or as functional ingredients in order to improve the shelf- life and nutraceutical value of foods while exerting a beneficial effect in human health against chronic-degenerative diseases.
La valorizzazione dei rifiuti e dei sottoprodotti dell’industria alimentare rappresenta una sfida e un’opportunità per uno sviluppo sostenibile e competitivo. L’implementazione di strategie produttive innovative basate sulla valorizzazione dei sottoprodotti rappresenta un modello virtuoso e un fattore discriminante per la competitività delle filiere agroalimentari al fine di ridurre l’impatto ambientale, recuperare reddito ed ottenere nuovi prodotti a medio ed elevato valore aggiunto. Inoltre, nel progettare una nuova attività d’impresa diretta a produrre e commercializzare prodotti innovativi occorre considerare vari ordini di fattori determinati dalle attività economiche ed industriali presenti nel territorio in cui l’azienda opera. La produzione di olio d'oliva è considerata una delle maggiori attività agroindustriali nei Paesi del bacino del Mediterraneo ed è associata alla generazione di grandi volumi di sottoprodotti, solo recentemente riconosciuti come una ricca fonte di molecole bioattive. Infatti, nonostante l'elevata concentrazione di composti fenolici presenti nell’oliva, solo il 2% della concentrazione iniziale si recupera nell'olio extravergine di oliva, mentre la frazione rimanente si concentra principalmente nei sottoprodotti, sia liquidi sia solidi. I fenoli sono noti per la loro azione antiossidante, antiinfiammatoria, antimicrobica ed anticancerogena e le loro proprietà benefiche sono state riconosciute dall’EFSA. Il presente progetto di dottorato mira alla valorizzazione sia delle acque reflue di frantoio sia del pâté di olive per la formulazione di nuovi alimenti, bevande e additivi naturali ricchi in composti bioattivi ad elevato valore nutraceutico. L’approccio strategico seguito ha previsto l’applicazione di specifiche tecnologie, quali diversi sistemi di filtrazione e l’impiego di pool microbici selezionati, allo scopo di realizzare un pronto scale-up aziendale per la produzione nuovi prodotti a basso costo e a basso impatto ambientale. I risultati hanno dimostrato che entrambi i sottoprodotti possono rappresentare una matrice utile nel settore alimentare come tali o come ingredienti funzionali al fine di migliorare la shelf-life e il valore nutraceutico degli alimenti e di esercitare, al tempo stesso, un effetto benefico sulla salute umana.
Valorizzazione di sottoprodotti dell’industria olearia attraverso la produzione di nuovi alimenti e ingredienti funzionali / Foti, Paola. - (2023 Apr 18).
Valorizzazione di sottoprodotti dell’industria olearia attraverso la produzione di nuovi alimenti e ingredienti funzionali
FOTI, PAOLA
2023-04-18
Abstract
The valorization of food wastes is a challenging opportunity for the green, sustainable, and competitive development of a country. The interest of agri-food companies in applying a circular economy strategy is driven by the need to minimize external inputs and by the interest in valorizing both co- and by-products. In this frame, the valorization of by-products represents a virtuous model for the application of a circular economy system and contribute to the competitiveness of agri-food chain, for reducing environmental impact, recovering income by new products with medium and high added value. In addition, to design a business plan aimed at producing and marketing innovative products, it is necessary to consider various orders of factors associated to the economical and industrial profiles of the territory in which the company operates. Olive oil production is considered one of the major agro-industrial activities in the Mediterranean countries and it is associated with the generation of a large volume of by-products, already demonstrated as a rich source of bioactive molecules. In fact, despite the high concentration of phenolic compounds in olive fruits, only the 2 % of the initial concentration is found in extra virgin olive oil, while the remaining fraction is mainly concentrated in liquid and solid by-products. The bioactive compounds, namely phenols, are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic activities, and their beneficial properties are already recognized by EFSA. The present PhD project aims at the valorization of olive mill wastewater and pâté olive cake for the formulation of new foods, beverages and natural additives rich in bioactive compounds with high nutraceutical value. The choice of the followed approaches, from the filtration techniques to the application of selected microbial pools, was motivated by the requirement of a prompt industrial scale-up and by the awareness that microbial sources represents a driver of innovation in the food system, to reduce the use of chemicals and to enhance new properties in an eco-friendly way. The results showed that both by-products are relevant matrices to be used in food industry as such or as functional ingredients in order to improve the shelf- life and nutraceutical value of foods while exerting a beneficial effect in human health against chronic-degenerative diseases.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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