Research and development of food ingredients containing bioactive compounds extracted from agro-industrial residues using sustainable technologies

• Grant number: 19/16399-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Duration: August 01, 2020 - July 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Naiane Sangaletti Gerhard
• Grantee: Naiane Sangaletti Gerhard
• Host Company: Sustentsim Soluções para Resíduos Agroindustriais Ltda
• CNAE: Fabricação de produtos alimentícios não especificados anteriormente
• City: Piracicaba
• Associated researchers: Alan Giovanini de Oliveira Sartori ; Pedro Luiz Rosalen ; Severino Matias de Alencar
• Associated scholarship(s): 20/09057-9 - Research and development of food ingredients containing bioactive compounds extracted from agro-industrial residues using sustainable technologies, BP.PIPE

Abstract

SustentSim is an associated company of the Technology-Based Business Incubator of the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture of the University of São Paulo (ESALQTEC - ESALQ - USP). The purpose of this project is to develop natural food ingredients through innovative, ecofriendly, low cost and low complex technology, using waste from agri-food industries as raw material. The applied research project also aims to reduce the environmental impact of these wastes. We seek the isolation of ingredients or extracts with antioxidant activity and rich in dietary fiber, taking full advantage of agro-industrial residue. The SustentSim Company entrepreneurs have been researching bioactive compounds, whose advances have demonstrated high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial potential in agro-industrial residues such as stems and grape marc. In the wine industry, these residues are commonly intended for use as fertilizer after the composting process or are mixed with other components for animal feed production. However, many bioactive compounds or extracts may be used in the development of natural preservatives or nutraceutical food products. In general, the extraction of these compounds, mainly phenolics and polysaccharides, is performed with polar organic solvents, heating, solvent evaporation and obtaining concentrated extracts containing the compounds of interest, which are currently commercially extracted from primary sources. However, solvent recovery increases the cost and complexity of the process, as well as producing other wastes (solid wastes and mixtures of organic solvents). The SustentSim Company project is to employ a pressure heating system using autoclave and aqueous solvent, under conditions of which will be optimized through an experimental rotational factorial design and response surface analysis to achieve high yields of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity. Dietary fiber-rich solid waste from the extraction process will be characterized and processed to facilitate its addition as food ingredients. In this way, the SustentSim Company aims to offer natural antioxidant extracts at competitive prices, when compared to the synthetic antioxidants currently employed. Also, the process of producing natural ingredients has low environmental impact as it is free of organic solvents. Consequently, the products developed by the SustentSim Company may be used for the preservation and aggregation of functional properties of foods. Additionally, the Company will produce fiber-rich ingredients to aid in food digestion and prevent bowel diseases. This second group of products will also be marketed at competitive prices, adding value to the agro-industrial waste treatment process and reducing the environmental burden of a slowly degrading material when exposed to the environment. These products may attract market interest due to the increasing demand for natural preservatives and nutraceutical ingredients used in foods processed by the organic and / or whole food industries, which are increasingly economically relevant in Brazil and worldwide. Finally, specifically the process employed by the SustentSim Company will reduce the environmental impact currently caused by waste from the winery industry and stimulate the economy by increasing the supply of competitively priced natural food ingredients, creating jobs. (AU)