Descripción del proyecto
HULLinFOOD seeks to provide solutions to two of the most complex challenges that modern society faces; (i) the need of healthy and functional foods to tackle the increase of global levels of diseases and (ii) the need for the transition to lineal business model to circulars ones to improving environmental impact of industrial systems. From these challenges A new innovative and sustainable strategy emerges thanks to the upcycling of the almonds hull (by-product of almond processing) as a new source of functional ingredients to boost human health. Almond's hull is a rich by-product containing a wide range of bioactive components with high added value. Nonetheless, almond's hull is mainly being employed as livestock feed and as biomass raw material to generate electricity. Thus, the potential use of using almond's hull as a source for obtaining bioactive components would be highly beneficial for human consumption, however, this topic is yet to be explored. The project considers the almonds hull as underexploited, innovative and alternative source of bioactive compounds (triterpenes, flavonoids, such as hesperidin, quercetin, and pectin) which will be investigated as potential functional ingredients with antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, hypoglycemic and/or hypocolesterolemic properties. In this framework, HULLinFOOD main objective is to increase the availability of sustainable, resilient, safety abd healthy food ingredients by implementing circular strategies and valorisation processes to convert almond's hull into innovative and natural functional ingredients and nutraceutics. To achieve this, the project will be taking a step-forward to the current state-of-the-art, creating and consolidating new value chains on almonds hull valorisation involving innovative technologies in a cascading approach biorefinery. In this frame, the project aims at (a) assessing the almonds hull availability, quality, sustainable supply as well as its presence of target compounds (Activity 2), (b)Developing of suitable conditioning process to ensure almonds hull stability (activity 3) c) Evaluating cost-effective and innovative extraction technologies (e. g., DES, MAE, UAE) to release targeted bioactive components (activity 3); (d) evaluating potential biofunctionalities of the obtained extracts (activity 4) ;and (e) Stablishing a scalable-by-design multi-product biorefinery processes within a zero-waste strategy to demonstrate at relevant scale (TRL 7) the obtaining of the different functional ingredient prototypes. (activity 5). In order to achieve all these objectives, this project has been structured as a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaborative work where UNIO NUT (coordinator) and Leitat (participant) will endeavour this project together in order to develop innovative circular strategies with the following expected results: (a) A protocol for the management, logistics and processing of almonds hull, targeting new high added value industrial applications, (b) Know-how on innovative technological processes for bioactive compounds extraction and (c) A design of a cascading approach biorefinery process which will have been validated (TRL 6-7) for the obtaining of: (i) 1-2 ingredient with antioxidant and/or antimicrobial properties, (ii) 1-2 ingredient with anti-implicatory and/or anti-hypertensive properties, and (iii) 1 ingredient with hypoglycemic and/or hypocholesterolemic properties.Likewise, HULLinFOOD seeks to respond to the strategic objectives of the European Green Deal related to guaranteeing food security, as well as reducing the environmental and climate footprint and strengthening the resilience of the EU food system. The project is aligned with strategies and initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (specifically SDG 3, SDG 12 and SDG 13) and the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy (EECC). RETROVIRUS ENDOGENOS HUMANOS\FIBROMIALGIA (FM)\ENCEFALOMIELITIS MIALGICA / SINDROME DE \COVID PERSISTENTE