Integrated system for extraction of pectin and cellulose from cashew apple bagasse with a production of aerogels in a biorefinery context

• Grant number: 24/21147-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: May 06, 2025
• End date: May 05, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Tânia Forster Carneiro
• Grantee: Tiago Linhares Cruz Tabosa Barroso
• Supervisor: Maria Jose Fabra
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/02064-8 - Sustainable bioprocesses for the valorization of cashew apple bagasse (Anacardium occidentale): integration of hydrothermal pretreatment and fermentation processes to produce value-added compounds in a biorefinery concept, BP.DR

Abstract

This project aims to valorize cashew apple bagasse, an agro-industrial waste,through an integrated biorefinery system that extracts pectin and cellulose and producesbiodegraded aerogel of high added value. The proposed approach is aligned with acircular economy, promoting biomass's complete and sustainable use. Pectin, widelyused in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries, and cellulose, withapplications in biodegradable materials such as films and aerogels, will be combined tooptimize the use of cashew waste, minimizing the waste of materials. The pectin andcellulose aerogels have attractive characteristics, such as porous and light structure, highabsorption capacity, thermal insulation, and mechanical resistance, making them idealfor biodegradable packaging, controlled release systems, and environmental filters. Theinternational project (BEPE) aims to develop advanced extraction methods to obtainbiopolymers and apply the biorefinery model to strengthen the bioeconomy, generatingnew sustainable products.