DARPA-Funded Projects – Operational Groups 2023
Project Name: SAN-PROT. Study of protein recovery from olive pomace
Participants: UNIÓ ORIGEN, SCCL (Lead), ANDRÉS PINTALUBA, SA (Beneficiary), INGREDALIA, SL (Beneficiary), ANIMAL DATA ANALYTICS, SL (Contracted), INNOVACC (Coordinator), EURECAT (RTO)
Budget: €134,150.59
Aid: €108,839.16
Project Summary:
The projected increase in protein demand by 2050, coupled with environmental pressures from animal production, presents an unsustainable scenario. This situation highlights the need for a protein transition, which involves replacing animal proteins with alternatives obtained from plant sources, algae, fungi, insects, or cultivated meat. One of the most significant challenges is the variability in the nutritional quality of alternative proteins, stemming from extraction processes and the original source, especially during critical life stages such as growth and aging.
The SAN-PROT project addresses this problem by developing new sources of alternative proteins derived from agricultural by-products, such as olive pomace, which contribute to environmental sustainability. Furthermore, it proposes a multidisciplinary approach, collaborating with various entities to ensure innovative solutions that optimize existing resources. The project also seeks to reduce dependence on soy as a protein source in animal feed, thereby improving the sustainability of animal production. Ensuring nutritional quality will be a priority, with particular evaluation of products intended for consumers in critical life stages.
The main objective of SAN-PROT is to valorize the olive oil extraction residue, known as olive pomace, as a new protein source for various applications. To achieve this objective, the project sets the following specific goals: identify and characterize the protein content and profile of olive pomace obtained from two olive varieties; study the recovery, concentration, and isolation of protein using three different processes: solvent extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and solid-state fermentation; characterize the recovered protein; and finally, evaluate the protein quality of olive pomace in pig feed formulations, with the aim of demonstrating the benefits of this protein in piglet diets, improving productive parameters and contributing to a more sustainable pig industry.
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