Valorization of agro-industrial waste

The growing demand for energy and emerging greenhouse gas emissions, together with the enhancement of agricultural by-products represent an opportunity to start a path of sustainable growth. In particular, a large variety of by-products from agro-industrial production can be recovered and transformed into new materials with high added value for human health and well-being. In a circular economy, which requires the revision of most production cycles, enhancing waste recovery does not just mean saving disposal costs and preserving the environment, but also guaranteeing the sustainability of a production process. The new frontier of valorization of agricultural waste is the rescue of bioactive and antioxidant substances often largely present in the part of plants not exploited in the transformation processes. Bioactive substances identified by high-throughput analytical tools can be applied to formulate new nutraceuticals or be used as functional ingredients.

Qualitative evaluation of by-products of primary transformed foods by determining the recoverable nutraceutical compounds. Different conventional and/or innovative extraction methods will be evaluated to obtain a bioactive phytoextract free of contamination from toxicants like mycotoxins. Chromatographic methodologies including HPLC/DAD or FLD and high-resolution mass spectrometry will be applied. Potential nutraceuticals will be identified focusing on polyphenols, vitamins, and other healthy molecules. Complete characterization of phytoextracts will be related to their beneficial power. Toxicants contents and the exposure risk for consumers will be also evaluated. Technological resistance (heating to 100°C, pasteurization, etc.) of phytoextracts will be tested to simulate thermal and pH stresses. Preclinical trials and preliminary tests on functionalized foods or beverages will define the healthy profile of these ingredients and /or of functional foods.

Optimization of one or more extraction protocols of molecular classes with nutraceutical activity and creation of the qualitative-quantitative metabolomic profile using advanced methodologies such as high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry. Determination of the main mycotoxins present in the extracts and determination of the toxicological potential of these extracts. Evaluation of the resistance to the main post-formulation industrial processes of extracts from by-products of the agri-food chain. Enhancement of the biochemical and biological potential of extracts in suitable cellular and in vitro model systems of plant extracts. Chemical and/or toxicological characterization of any post-products formed during the industrial processes of production of nutraceuticals and/or functional foods. Metabolomic analysis allows to detect and measure chemical substances in very small amounts by Tandem LC/MS and/ or NMR.