The circular bioeconomy and the development and production of bio-based products have become essential in the transition from a fossil-based economy to a sustainable green revolution in Europe. The project successfully demonstrated the potential to rejuvenate underutilized bio-based side streams and residues, showcasing significant benefits. Cascading circular product design and aspects related to product use were previously underrepresented in the bio-based product market, and their full potential has now been addressed.
The olive oil industry—key in Southern Europe and along the Mediterranean coast (Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia, among others)—produce 4.5 million tons of olive leaves annually worldwide. This biomass posed a challenge for both farmers and the olive oil industry, as it needed to be removed from fields and mills. However, it contained high-value bioactive compounds with substantial market potential in sectors such as food, feed, chemicals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
The goal of OLEAF4VALUE was to establish the foundation for an intelligent value chain based on a groundbreaking concept: the Smart Dynamic Multi-Valorisation-Route Biorefinery (SAMBIO). This approach facilitated the cascade valorisation of olive leaf biomass according to its physicochemical composition, with specific pre-treatments enhancing target product yields. Advanced green extraction and isolation technologies were employed to separate all valuable fractions and compounds using a zero-waste approach. Enzymatic biotransformation, molecularly imprinted polymers and nanoencapsulation technologies were implemented to develop tailored prototypes that met market needs in high-value sectors such as food, feed, health, cosmetics, and chemicals. Large companies from these sectors within the consortium ensured a market-oriented approach throughout the project.
