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

Descripción del proyecto

Producción sostenible de prebióticos a partir de residuos agroindustriales

La agricultura es uno de los sectores fundamentales para la transición ecológica. Por ello, la innovación en sostenibilidad y tecnologías verdes debe ir acompañada de medidas para reducir y reciclar los residuos. El proyecto SUSPREB, que cuenta con el respaldo de las acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, tiene como objetivo la producción innovadora de prebióticos a partir de residuos agroindustriales. Para ello, se combinarán conocimientos de distintas disciplinas con actividades de investigación, caracterización y diseño de procesos. De este modo, se estudiará cómo las biotecnologías sostenibles pueden mejorar la eficiencia en el uso de los recursos y favorecer el aprovechamiento de productos infrautilizados en beneficio de la salud pública.

Objetivo

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.