Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Spoke 02
The research projects under the Spoke 02 focus on improving food system sustainability through two main strategies: i) applying circular economy approaches to enhance the value of food waste and by-products, resulting in high added value products, and ii) developing and implementing smart logistics strategies, digital technologies, and innovative solutions for food distribution, all aimed at enhancing sustainability in the food industry.
New solutions for sustainable logistics in food supply chains
Principal investigators
Referred to
Spoke 02Extraction of bioactive compounds and/or macromolecules from food by-products and wastes
Principal investigators
Referred to
Spoke 02Fermentation of agri-food by product/waste to obtain bioactive compounds enriched foods
Principal investigators
Referred to
Spoke 02Principal investigators
Referred to
Spoke 02The FAO estimates that globally, one-third of all food produced, particularly in the fruit, vegetable, and fish sectors, is lost or wasted annually, with a total value of $1 trillion. Therefore, reducing food waste is considered by the United Nations and many international institutions as one of the main ways to protect the environment and promote human well-being.
Recently, numerous scientific reports have been published on limiting food waste and methods of treating waste. These publications include strategies for reducing waste production, valorising co- and by-products, and improving waste and industrial by-product management, considered opportunities. This is mainly due to a growing awareness of environmental issues and the high waste disposal costs that limit the food industry's profits, as well as a growing interest in the benefits of potentially marketable components in food waste and by-products.
The research activities of WP 2.1 are focused on recovering food waste and by-products using innovative technologies, such as controlled hydrodynamic cavitation and deep eutectic solvents, on extracting bioactive compounds. The new products and processes' safety, market potential, and environmental impact are also evaluated through a comprehensive cradle-to-grave approach.
The main focus of the OnFoods Project's Work Package 2.2 is to develop sustainable and innovative technologies that reduce food waste and increase the efficiency of food production and storage.
The work package includes the development of bio-based active food packaging made of biopolymers and incorporating bioactive compounds, as well as strategies for sanitising fresh food products and using microbial and enzymatic biotechnologies to obtain new foods and added-value compounds. The work package also aims to optimise storage conditions to reduce energy consumption in refrigeration processes and decrease food waste.
Digital technologies play a critical role in the efforts of WP 2.3 to reduce food waste and improve the efficiency of food production and storage.
The research conducted under WP 2.3 aims to create sustainable solutions that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enhance the food system for all.
Specifically, the focus is developing tools to control and assess food waste. These digital tools allow for the monitoring and analysis of food waste and by-products throughout the entire food production and distribution process, facilitating more efficient and sustainable use of resources.
