Objective
This proposal aims to develop an integral re-exploitation of the tomato fruit peels from processing tomato industries. In particular, the project is focus on the bio-mimicry of the plant cuticle, in order to obtain bioplastics with commercial purposes. Tomato fruits were chosen for, first, their high proportion of cuticular components, second, the inexpensive price of their peel, and, third, the high industrial volume of work (European tomato processing industry processed 11,380,100 tonnes of raw tomatoes in 2004).
The plant cuticle is an essential component of terrestrial plant life, providing protection against the dehydrating atmosphere. The cuticle has been modified and refined in various plant lineages to fill an impressive range of multi-functional purposes and interesting properties (e.g. it is hydrophobic, viscoelastic, moderately flexible, chemically inert and has high values of specific heat and good mechanical properties). This is the result of the combination of their main components: polysaccharides and the long-chain polyester cutin.
The aim in this proposal is the exploitation of these biopolymers from tomato fruit peel residues to bio-mimic the plant cuticle, producing plant cuticle-like plastics. For this, initially, the combination and reactivity of model substances (commercial cutin monomer and cellulose) will be studied, characterizing the resultant products. Subsequently, the properties will be improved and adapted to industrial necessities. The second stage of the project will be the integral refinery of the tomato peel residues and the production of bioplastics from the natural components. Likewise, the properties of these bioplastics will be tailored.
This proposal is novel because no previous studies have developed a strategy to bio-mimic the plant cuticles, and timely because, in times of economic crisis, of the opportunity of revaluing the inexpensive tomato residues into bioplastics with added value.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture horticulture fruit growing
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology biomaterials bioplastics
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
16163 GENOVA
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.