Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
Content archived on 2024-04-19

New food products from Prosopis fruits in Latin America: a base for the extension of the culture and the prevention of desertification in arid zones

Objective



Prosopis spp are leguminous plants grown wild in arid zones of America, Africa and Asia.
The trees produce mesquite pods that are palatable to humans. Prosopis pallida and Prosopis juliflora are found in large desertic areas of Peru and Mexico.
On the other hand, Ceratonia siliqua is a perennial leguminous cultivated in the Mediterranean area producing carob pods.

Both mesquite and carob pods have some compositional and morphological similarities.

Nevertheless, while CP is a valuable product of exportation and their uses in the food industry are well established, the use of MP is currently almost completely inexistent.
The development of food products from MP is essential for the extension of the culture, which is recommended to prevent desertization.
Taken into account the industrial and scientifical experience on CP in Europe, the following interdisciplinar studies are planed:
- Obtention of syrup and dietary fibres rich in polyphenols from the MP pulp.
- Obtention of gum (galactomannan) from MP seeds.
- Physicochemical and rheological characterization and study of the physiological properties (in vitro and clinical studies) of the products. - Plantation of Prosopis trees in the Southeast of Spain.

The participants provide a wide range of facilities for the development of the project (experimental field of Prosopis and Ceratonia trees, in Peru and Spain, pilot plants and industrial plant, scientific equipment and methodology, experience in E.C.projects of this area).

The results may contribute to improve the socioeconomic status of farmers in desertic zones of Latin America and to protect the environment of these areas by preventing them from desertification.
Additionaly, the possible plantation of Prosopis trees in dry lands of the Southeast of Spain will be tested with similar objectives.

CP: carob pods; MP: Mesquite pods

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.

You need to log in or register to use this function

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.

Data not available

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

Data not available

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.

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
EU contribution
No data
Address
S/N,Ciudad Universitaria S/N
28040 MADRID
Spain

See on map

Total cost

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.

No data

Participants (4)

My booklet 0 0