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Sustainable production of prebiotics from agro-industrial waste/residues using enzymes: Toward eco-friendly functional food ingredients

Project description

Sustainable generation of prebiotics using agro-industrial residues

Agriculture is one of the key players in green transition. Therefore, there should be innovations concerning sustainability and green technologies that go along with waste reduction and recycling. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SUSPREB project targets innovative prebiotic production from agro-industrial residues (AIR). This will be achieved through the application of various fields of knowledge, including research, characterisation, process design and other fields to find out the possibilities of sustainable biotechnologies in terms of their resource efficiency and addressing underutilised products for better public health.

Objective

The SUSPREB project addresses the complex interplay between diet, gut microbiota, and gastrointestinal health by developing novel, plant-based prebiotics derived from agro-industrial residues (AIR). This multidisciplinary initiative brings together food science, microbiology, enzymology, and gastrointestinal research expertise to explore sustainable, biotechnology-driven solutions for enhancing public health. Leveraging underutilized by-products (such as black cumin and flax meals, wine stalks, pomace, and lees), rich in unique polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, and phenolic compounds, SUSPREB aims to transform waste into high-value functional ingredients.
The project has three key objectives: (1) to develop innovative, cost-effective enzymatic processes for fractionating AIR and extracting multifunctional bioactive compounds, including emerging prebiotics with potential antioxidant and antidiabetic properties; (2) to characterize the structural and functional properties of these compounds using in silico, in vitro, and advanced analytical methods to establish structure-activity relationships; and (3) to integrate the resulting prebiotics into functional food matrices, particularly plant-based dairy alternatives, with thorough evaluation of their stability, bioactivity, sensory attributes, and health-promoting effects.
SUSPREB exemplifies sustainable innovation in the food and health sectors. It advances the valorization of food industry by-products, fosters the bioeconomy, and supports climate change mitigation. The project’s holistic approach and strong cross-disciplinary collaboration promise not only to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency but also to contribute significantly to the development of personalized, microbiota-targeted nutritional interventions.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF

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Coordinator

AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
Net EU contribution
€ 194 074,56
Address
CALLE SERRANO 117
28006 Madrid
Spain
Region
Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
No data